Monday November 14th, 2016

Posted on November 14, 2016 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

Each week I share a reading photo of the week. We had a shortened week last week due to a Curriculum Day and Remembrance Day. I was also home sick for 2 days. So, I was only in the room with students for one day. Instead of a reading photo, I have a math photo – but some of our book shelves are in the background so it has reading ambiance.

We have continued to explore themes for our #classroombookaday titles. This theme was all about exploring fears.

Join Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers and share all of the reading you have done over the week from picture books to young adult novels. Follow the links to read about all of the amazing books the #IMWAYR community has read. It’s the best way to discover what to read next.

On the blog (slowly beginning to post more often although I only seem to be getting to a IMWAYR post every 2 weeks):

Celebration: There are Books for All of Us

A Slice of Life post: Tracking Truth

Celebration: Vague Musings

Books I enjoyed:

The Airport Book by Lisa Brown

I echo what so many others say – oh, if this book had only existed when my children were small. It has so much going on! Each page is full of details and yet a very lovely story of one family unfolds throughout.

Steamboat School by Deborah Hopkinson and illustrated by Ron Husband

Based on a true story of Reverend Meachum who ran a secret school in his church in St Louis Missouri until a new law passed that it was not legal to educate blacks. And so . . .

Reverend John Berry Meachum decided to build a new school-a floating school in the Mississippi River, just outside the boundary of the unjust law. (from Goodreads)

What an important story of courage, persistence and the joy of education. Illustrations are incredible.

Almost a Full Moon by Hawksley Workman and illustrated by Jensine Eckwall

This is a picture book of Workman’s song coming to life. A midwinter gathering in the woods hosted by a small boy and his grandmother. Cozy and comfort

Lola Levine and the Ballet Scheme written by Monica Brown and illustrated by Angela Dominguez

What a fantastic series this is! If I return to teaching a primary classroom, this is a series I will want in my collection. When a new student Bella shows up in Lola’s classroom, the girls seem to be total opposites. Bella loves ballet. Lola is a dedicated soccer player. When conflict arises, the girls’ mothers hatch a “scheme” to help them learn about each other. Explores friendships and family in some wonderful ways.

Dream Jumper (Book One Nightmare Escape) by Greg Grunberg and Lucas Turnbloom

Can see this being a hit with kids. Hoping it isn’t going in the direction I think it’s going because that would be too predictable and too borrowed . . . One of those – I don’t really love it but students probably will titles.

Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan

Joe and Ravi seem to have very different lives. Ravi has just moved from India. Joe has been here for what seems forever. They share a few things in common – a relationship with a bully and the daily classroom and lunch room experiences of middle school. Alternately narrated by both characters, this book reminds us that it is challenging to fit in, find your way and be noticed for who you are for all middle school kids. Joe and Ravi are particularly endearing.

Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk

Whoa this book. Heavy. Seeped in drama, cruelty and history. It’s heavy – sits somewhere between a middle grade and young adult read. This is one of those titles that you don’t need to know a lot about to pick up – just that there is reason for all of the buzz. Absolutely gripping.

Making Friends with Billy Wong by Augusta Scattergood

Set in small town Paris Junction, Arkansas in 1952, this title has all of the ingredients for a gentle, comforting historical fiction title while still managing to explore some heavier themes. Azalea and Billy become friends one summer when Azalea is dropped off to support the grandmother she hardly knows as she recovers from an injury. We learn about Billy’s experience as a Chinese American in the segregated south. We watch as Azalea’s independence and character develop. There are some pretty wonderful relationships here – I particularly love the grandmother/granddaughter dynamic.

Just My Luck (Zack Delacruz 2) by Jeff Anderson

Oh the middle school years – so full of social complications as kids try to figure it all out. Zack is particularly charming and perfectly flawed. This book is full of humour, mistakes and some pretty terrific characters.

Be Light Like a Bird by Monika Schröder

Death is hard. Healing is complicated. Grief takes time. This title allows the reader to experience all of the complicated, the hard and the time through Wren and her mother’s experience after the death of Wren’s father. Wren is a pretty wonderful character – true to herself and beautifully honest. Highly, highly recommended.

Reading Progress updates:

2016 Chapter Book Challenge: 54/75 complete

Goodreads Challenge: 293/400 books read

#MustReadin2016: 22/30 complete

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 37/100 titles

Diverse Books in 2016: 40/50 books read

Up next? I am reading Falling Over Sideways by Jordan Sonnenblick

Top Ten Tuesday: Titles that feature wonderful friendships in MG literature

Posted on August 24, 2015 by carriegelson

It’s time for Top Ten Tuesday, a meme created by The Broke and Bookish.

This week’s topic? Top Ten Books That Would Be On Your Syllabus If You Taught X 101

I chose Friendships in MG Literature and focused in particular on friendships between male and female characters. Friendship dynamics are frequently explored in middle grade novels. Pre-teen and teen readers are all about looking outward, beginning to rely heavily on their peers and attempting to navigate the complexities of friendship dynamics. It’s developmental. It’s difficult. Mistakes are often made. What better way to develop a deeper understanding of friendships than in the pages of a book? I think these titles in particular feature wonderful relationships based on respect, acceptance, support and kindness. The friendships are not always perfect but these novels are perfectly suited to learning all about what it is to be a good friend.

Friendships worth reading about:

Chirp and Joey in Nest by Esther Erlich

Ivy and Paul in The Great Good Summer by Liz Garton Scanlon

Albert and Ally in Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Felicity and Jonah in A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd

Circa and Miles in Circa Now by Amber McRee Turner

Peter and Annie in Wish Girl written by Nikki Loftin

Apple and Evan in Blackbird Fly by Erin Entrada Kelly

Will and Maren in The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel

Mo and Dale in The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing by Sheila Turnage

Sophie and Matteo in Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell

Can you think of another friendship pair that could be added to this list?

Well, I have done some more reading and I can!

Wren and Theo in Be Light Like a Bird by Monika Schröder

Azalea and Billy in Making Friends with Billy Wong by Augusta Scattergood

Making Friends with Billy Wong Top Ten Tuesday: Titles that feature wonderful friendships in MG literature There's a Book for That

Cedar and Leo in Summerlost by Ally Condie

Summerlost Top Ten Tuesday: Titles that feature wonderful friendships in MG literature There's a Book for That

In the world of books: 25 girls who stand out

Posted on July 11, 2015 by carriegelson

I am celebrating the characters in middle grade and young adult novels who make strong impressions. When you read a lot of novels, there is the wonderful opportunity to “meet” many incredible characters. First, it was these 25 boys that I wanted to highlight. Now, it’s time for the girls!

These are the female characters who have stayed with me. I sometimes worry about them. I stop and remember their actions. The big and bold things and the quietly brave. I admire their choices, the way they move on from mistakes, their soul searching. I honour these 25 girls who live beyond the pages of the books they live in.

Sophie in Endangered written by Eliot Schrefer

Francesca Schnell in The Summer of Letting Go written by Gae Polisner

Flora Belle Buckman in Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures written by Kate DiCamillo

Marlee in The Lions of Little Rock written by Kristin Levine

Jewel in Bird written by Crystal Chan

Comfort Snowberger in Each Little Bird That Sings written by Deborah Wiles

Fern in See you at Harry’s written by Jo Knowles

Vera in Please Ignore Vera Dietz written by A.S. King

Georgie Burkhardt in One Came Home written by Amy Timberlake

May in May B. written by Caroline Starr Rose

Hattie Brooks in Hattie Big Sky written by Kirby Larson

Calpurnia Virginia Tate in The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate written by Jacqueline Kelly

Lucy in Half a Chance written by Cynthia Lord

Josie in Out of the Easy written by Ruta Sepetys

Stargirl Caraway in Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Gloriana (Glory) June Hemphill in Glory Be written by Augusta Scattergood

Gabi Hernandez in Gabi, A Girl in Pieces written by Isabel Quintero

Turtle in Turtle in Paradise written by Jennifer L. Holm

Liesel Meminger in The Book Thief written by Markus Zusak

Georgina Hayes in How to Steal a Dog written by Barbara O’Connor

Hayley Kincain in The Impossible Knife of Memory written by Laurie Halse Anderson

Rose in Rain Reign written by Ann M. Martin

Carley Connors in One for the Murphys written by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Piddy Sanchez in Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick your Ass written by Meg Medina

Willow Chance in Counting by 7s written by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Which characters would make your list?

Monday February 4th, 2013

Posted on February 4, 2013 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

Join Kellee and Jen’s meme to share all the reading you have done over the week – everything from picture books to young adult novels! Connecting with the #IMWAYR community is such a great way to hear about fantastic books “new to you.”

I had a big weekend of reading. Part of it was that I fell into many books I just couldn’t put down so I was able to read more novels than usual in a work week.

The Spindlers written by Lauren Oliver This was a title I have been reading to my children as a nightly read aloud. An interesting fantasy title about the world Below – full of drama and action and slightly scary parts. Liza has to rescue her brother’s soul that has been stolen by the Spindlers and the rescue mission is full of risk and odd, magical creatures, many of them menacing. The idea that her little brother’s soul was stolen was creepy enough to warrant a request from my son not to read it right before bed. This lasted just a few nights until the adventure was too addictive and we had to read this book nightly! A really gripping fantasy story for the middle grade crowd.

Glory Be written by Augusta Scattergood Set in Mississippi in 1964 in the heat of summer and the heat of the civil rights movement. This is a story of one strong girl, her family, her friendships and her drive to make sense of the prejudice and fear around her. The letter Glory sends to the local paper to question the town’s decision to close the pool is absolutely brilliant. What voice and what conviction in such a young girl. I had wanted to read this story for a long time and it is now in the hands of my ten year old daughter who is devouring it.

Dying to Know You written by Aidan Chambers I picked this book up and could not put it down. Yes, I was intrigued by the story and the characters but it was the style of writing and the fact that Chambers tells this story through the voice of a nameless 75 year old narrator that just held me. The narrator’s voice was so strong, so vulnerable, so lyrical – I just loved it. Of course, read this book because the storyline is very clever but the writing will wow you. A young adult realistic fiction title.

Ordinary Beauty written by Laura Wiess Not a book to dip your toe into – you need to jump right in and be with the character as she tells the story of her painful, abusive childhood full of neglect. Sayre’s mother is an addict and she is dying. Sayre’s life story is told alongside her present day dramatic struggle on a wintery night to reach her mother’s bedside and confront her feelings about what is happening. This story is extra raw for me as I have taught students whose lives have many similar elements to Sayre’s childhood – extreme poverty, horrible living conditions, exposure to things children should not even conceive of . . . A hard book to read but what a story . . .

Books I am starting this week: Juniper Berry by M.P. Kozlowsky is next up for our student book club. I haven’t read this title yet so will be reading along with the kids. With my own children, I have just started reading The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens. This is a book I have wanted to read for a while so am excited to share it with my children. Next novel up for me? Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King – this just arrived for me at the public library. I requested it after loving King‘s Ask the Passengers.

Picture books I enjoyed this week included many nonfiction titles:

Hello Oscar! a Zoe and Beans story by Chloe and Mick Inkpen I keep seeing Zoe and Beans books at the public library and decided I should finally read one – very sweet little illustrations – lovely for story time with the younger set.

A Perfect Day by Carin Berger Perfectly depicts the wonder and magic of a snow day. Love this illustrator’s style.

Speaking of snow – I highlighted some nonfiction snow books on my Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday post, including this title, The Story of Snow. Read this post to hear more about these snow books.

Adopt a Glurb by Elise Gravel I really enjoy so many of these Balloon Toons titles! This one is especially quirky and hilarious. Can see this being hugely popular with my students.

I Have a Dream by Dr Martin Luther King Jr with paintings by Kadir Nelson. I shared this with my own children and we had very thoughtful discussions. Kadir Nelson’s beautiful art makes Dr. King’s words so accessible and powerful through the intimate experience a well done picture book can create.