We are just so excited to welcome our returning students back in the classroom and we can not wait to meet our new students! While this year will be challenging for sure, we are determined to make the best of it. Welcome Back! :)
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It's that time of the year when Blake Middle School crowns a book champion. Students nominate book titles, complete book brackets for the best bracket competition, and vote on book battles. Any predictions on which title will reign supreme?
Snow Day You Say? WOOO HOOO! More Time to READ! Two beautiful stories for your consideration:3/2/2019 Coffee in hand, snow is falling, and all activities have been cancelled for the day. I can't wait to return to a book I am reading right now, Darius the Great is Not Okay, by Adib Khorram. It's everything I want in a story, and I catch myself thinking of Darius and his journey at various points in my day. I highly recommend this read; it's compelling and gorgeous. And, I think it's an important one. Synopsis (I'd recommend at 7th grade and up): Darius Kellner speaks better Klingon than Farsi, and he knows more about Hobbit social cues than Persian ones. He’s a Fractional Persian—half, his mom’s side—and his first-ever trip to Iran is about to change his life. Darius has never really fit in at home, and he’s sure things are going to be the same in Iran. His clinical depression doesn’t exactly help matters, and trying to explain his medication to his grandparents only makes things harder. Then Darius meets Sohrab, the boy next door, and everything changes. Soon, they’re spending their days together, playing soccer, eating faludeh, and talking for hours on a secret rooftop overlooking the city’s skyline. Sohrab calls him Darioush—the original Persian version of his name—and Darius has never felt more like himself than he does now that he’s Darioush to Sohrab. Adib Khorram’s brilliant debut is for anyone who’s ever felt not good enough—then met a friend who makes them feel so much better than okay. I can say with complete confidence that this is one of the most beautiful, heartwarming, and hopeful stories I have read in a very long time. I dare you to think otherwise. For fans of Wonder, Counting by 7's, Fish in a Tree, you get the picture... From fixing the class computer to repairing old radios, twelve-year-old Iris is a tech genius. But she's the only deaf person in her school, so people often treat her like she's not very smart. If you've ever felt like no one was listening to you, then you know how hard that can be. When she learns about Blue 55, a real whale who is unable to speak to other whales, Iris understands how he must feel. Then she has an idea: she should invent a way to "sing" to him! But he's three thousand miles away. How will she play her song for him? Full of heart and poignancy, this affecting story by sign language interpreter Lynne Kelly shows how a little determination can make big waves. I'd recommend this for everyone. Happy reading! I'm already planning on what books I'd like to give this season. Here are some that I have not read yet, but am pretty darn excited about: Lin-Manuel Miranda (creator of Hamilton y'all! Wooo hooo!) has written a book of affirmations and encouragements. I'm sure it's fantastic. From amazon.com: Good morning. Do NOT get stuck in the comments section of life today. Make, do, create the things. Let others tussle it out. Vamos! Before he inspired the world with Hamilton and was catapulted to international fame, Lin-Manuel Miranda was inspiring his Twitter followers with words of encouragement at the beginning and end of each day. He wrote these original sayings, aphorisms, and poetry for himself as much as for others. But as Miranda’s audience grew, these messages took on a life on their own. Now Miranda has gathered the best of his daily greetings into a beautiful collection illustrated by acclaimed artist (and fellow Twitter favorite) Jonny Sun. Full of comfort and motivation, Gmorning, Gnight! is a touchstone for anyone who needs a quick lift. everyone's a aliebn when ur a aliebn too looks like it gives the reader a lot to think about. Creator Jonny Sun illustrated Miranda's book above. I think it's kind of neat how both books originated in the Twitter-sphere. From amazon.com: The illustrated story of a lonely alien sent to observe Earth, where he meets all sorts of creatures with all sorts of perspectives on life, love, and happiness, while learning to feel a little better about himself—based on the enormously popular Twitter account. Here is the unforgettable story of Jomny, an alien sent to study Earth. Always feeling apart, even among his species, Jomny feels at home for the first time among the earthlings he meets. There is a bear tired of other creatures running in fear, an egg struggling to decide what to hatch into, a turtle hiding itself by learning camouflage, a puppy struggling to express its true feelings, and many more. The characters are unique and inventive—bees think long and hard about what love means, birds try to eat the sun, nothingness questions its own existence, a ghost comes to terms with dying, and an introverted hedgehog slowly lets Jomny see its artistic insecurities. At the same time, Jomny’s curious presence allows these characters to open up to him in ways they were never able to before, revealing the power of somebody who is just there to listen. A Maze Me, a collection of poems written for teenage girls from author and poet Naomi Shihbab Nye. From amazon.com: First love, friendship, school, family, community, having a crush, loving your mother and hating your mother, sense of self, body image, hopes and dreams . . . these seventy-two poems by Naomi Shihab Nye—written expressly for this collection—will speak to girls of all ages. An honest, insightful, inspirational, and amazing collection. "A wide age range will respond to these deeply felt poems about everyday experiences, which encourage readers to lean eagerly into their lives and delight in its passages."—ALA Booklist (starred review). An introduction by the author is included. We have this book at home and it just rocks! From amazon.com: A charmingly illustrated and educational book, New York Times best seller Women in Science highlights the contributions of fifty notable women to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from the ancient to the modern world. Full of striking, singular art, this fascinating collection also contains infographics about relevant topics such as lab equipment, rates of women currently working in STEM fields, and an illustrated scientific glossary. The trailblazing women profiled include well-known figures like primatologist Jane Goodall, as well as lesser-known pioneers such as Katherine Johnson, the African-American physicist and mathematician who calculated the trajectory of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon. Jason Reynolds is doing it again! He just consistently writes such great books, from YA All American Boys, to The Track Series (for middle grade readers) to Long Way Down (more YA). I'm excited to check this out. From amazon.com: Originally performed at the Kennedy Center for the unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and later as a tribute to Walter Dean Myers, this stirring and inspirational poem is New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award finalist Jason Reynolds’s rallying cry to the dreamers of the world. For Every One is just that: for every one. For every one person. For every one dream. But especially for every one kid. The kids who dream of being better than they are. Kids who dream of doing more than they almost dare to dream. Kids who are like Jason Reynolds, a self-professed dreamer. Jason does not claim to know how to make dreams come true; he has, in fact, been fighting on the front line of his own battle to make his own dreams a reality. He expected to make it when he was sixteen. Then eighteen. Then twenty-five. Now, some of those expectations have been realized. But others, the most important ones, lay ahead, and a lot of them involve kids, how to inspire them. All the kids who are scared to dream, or don’t know how to dream, or don’t dare to dream because they’ve NEVER seen a dream come true. Jason wants kids to know that dreams take time. They involve countless struggles. But no matter how many times a dreamer gets beat down, the drive and the passion and the hope never fully extinguish—because just having the dream is the start you need, or you won’t get anywhere anyway, and that is when you have to take a leap of faith. The Playbook should definitely be on the list for fans of Kwame Alexander, and c'mon, who is NOT a fan of Kwame Alexander?! From amazon.com: You gotta know the rules to play the game. Ball is life. Take it to the hoop. Soar. What can we imagine for our lives? What if we were the star players, moving and grooving through the game of life? What if we had our own rules of the game to help us get what we want, what we aspire to, what will enrich our lives? Illustrated with photographs by Thai Neave, The Playbook is intended to provide inspiration on the court of life. Each rule contains wisdom from inspiring athletes and role models such as Nelson Mandela, Serena Williams, LeBron James, Carli Lloyd, Steph Curry and Michelle Obama. Kwame Alexander also provides his own poetic and uplifting words, as he shares stories of overcoming obstacles and winning games in this motivational and inspirational book just right for graduates of any age and anyone needing a little encouragement. Summer reading is soooooo important! It is one of the most valuable gifts you can give yourself. And, contrary to the naysayers out there, IT'S FUN! Finally, a chance to just kick back and read... So, gather up as many fun, exciting, juicy, funny, whatever-floats-your boat titles you can, and make a plan to get reading. In addition to previous blogs (look to archives at right), there are a lot of suggestions here, organized as follows (with links to pages and more descriptions):
MIDDLE GRADE BOOKS ON MY SUMMER READING LIST Rebound by Kwame Alexander Kwame has done it again! From amazon: Before Josh and Jordan Bell were streaking up and down the court, their father was learning his own moves. In this prequel to Newbery Medal winner The Crossover, Chuck Bell takes center stage, as readers get a glimpse of his childhood and how he became the jazz music worshiping, basketball star his sons look up to. A novel in verse with all the impact and rhythm readers have come to expect from Kwame Alexander, Rebound will go back in time to visit the childhood of Chuck "Da Man" Bell during one pivotal summer when young Charlie is sent to stay with his grandparents where he discovers basketball and learns more about his family's past. All Summer Long by Hope Larson Graphic Novel - I love a good graphic novel. Synopsis from amazon: Thirteen-year-old Bina has a long summer ahead of her. She and her best friend, Austin, usually do everything together, but he's off to soccer camp for a month, and he's been acting kind of weird lately anyway. So it's up to Bina to see how much fun she can have on her own. At first it's a lot of guitar playing, boredom, and bad TV, but things look up when she finds an unlikely companion in Austin's older sister, who enjoys music just as much as Bina. But then Austin comes home from camp, and he's acting even weirder than when he left. How Bina and Austin rise above their growing pains and reestablish their friendship and respect for their differences makes for a touching and funny coming-of-age story. Endling: The Last by Katherine Applegate I love Katherine Applegate. This series looks super fun - can't wait to get started. From amazon: Byx is the youngest member of her dairne pack. Believed to possess remarkable abilities, her mythical doglike species has been hunted to near extinction in the war-torn kingdom of Nedarra. After her pack is hunted down and killed, Byx fears she may be the last of her species. The Endling. So Byx sets out to find safe haven, and to see if the legends of other hidden dairnes are true. Along the way, she meets new allies—both animals and humans alike—who each have their own motivations for joining her quest. And although they begin as strangers, they become their own kind of family—one that will ultimately uncover a secret that may threaten every creature in their world. The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani From amazon: It's 1947, and India, newly independent of British rule, has been separated into two countries: Pakistan and India. The divide has created much tension between Hindus and Muslims, and hundreds of thousands are killed crossing borders. Half-Muslim, half-Hindu twelve-year-old Nisha doesn't know where she belongs, or what her country is anymore. When Papa decides it's too dangerous to stay in what is now Pakistan, Nisha and her family become refugees and embark first by train but later on foot to reach her new home. The journey is long, difficult, and dangerous, and after losing her mother as a baby, Nisha can't imagine losing her homeland, too. But even if her country has been ripped apart, Nisha still believes in the possibility of putting herself back together. Told through Nisha's letters to her mother, The Night Diary is a heartfelt story of one girl's search for home, for her own identity...and for a hopeful future. The Lifters by Dave Eggers This book looks like so much fun. And there are illustrations to boot! From amazon: When Gran and his family move to Carousel, he has no idea that the town is built atop a secret. Little does he suspect, as he walks his sister to school or casually eats a banana, that mysterious forces lurk mere inches beneath his feet, tearing up the earth like mini-hurricanes and causing the town to slowly but surely sink. When Gran's friend, the difficult-to-impress Catalina Catalan, presses a silver handle into a hillside and opens a doorway to underground, he knows that she is extraordinary and brave, and that he will have no choice but to follow wherever she leads. With luck on their side, and some discarded hockey sticks for good measure, Gran and Catalina might just find a way to lift their town--and the known world--out of danger. Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes Although on the more serious side, this book looks flat out amazing. From amazon: Only the living can make the world better. Live and make it better. Twelve-year-old Jerome is shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real threat. As a ghost, he observes the devastation that's been unleashed on his family and community in the wake of what they see as an unjust and brutal killing. Soon Jerome meets another ghost: Emmett Till, a boy from a very different time but similar circumstances. Emmett helps Jerome process what has happened, on a journey towards recognizing how historical racism may have led to the events that ended his life. Jerome also meets Sarah, the daughter of the police officer, who grapples with her father's actions. The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller "Think THE FOURTEENTH GOLDFISH meets THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH." What? SOLD!! From amazon: How do you grow a miracle? For the record, this is not the question Mr. Neely is looking for when he says everyone in class must answer an important question using the scientific process. But Natalie's botanist mother is suffering from depression, so this is The Question that's important to Natalie. When Mr. Neely suggests that she enter an egg drop competition, Natalie has hope. Eggs are breakable. Hope is not. Natalie has a secret plan for the prize money. She's going to fly her mother to see the Cobalt Blue Orchids--flowers that survive against impossible odds. The magical flowers are sure to inspire her mother to love life again. As Natalie prepares for the competition, she will discover that talking about problems is like taking a plant out of a dark cupboard and giving it light. YOUNG ADULT BOOKS ON MY SUMMER READING LIST Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds Ok. This is going to be my very first book I read this summer. I'm just so excited. The entire novel takes place in the span of 60 seconds. I love Jason Reynolds (see Awesome Authors below!). From amazon: An ode to Put the Damn Guns Down, this is National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestseller Jason Reynolds’s fiercely stunning novel that takes place in sixty potent seconds—the time it takes a kid to decide whether or not he’s going to murder the guy who killed his brother. A cannon. A strap. A piece. A biscuit. A burner. A heater. A chopper. A gat. A hammer A tool for RULE Or, you can call it a gun. That’s what fifteen-year-old Will has shoved in the back waistband of his jeans. See, his brother Shawn was just murdered. And Will knows the rules. No crying. No snitching. Revenge. That’s where Will’s now heading, with that gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, the gun that was his brother’s gun. He gets on the elevator, seventh floor, stoked. He knows who he’s after. Or does he? As the elevator stops on the sixth floor, on comes Buck. Buck, Will finds out, is who gave Shawn the gun before Will took the gun. Buck tells Will to check that the gun is even loaded. And that’s when Will sees that one bullet is missing. And the only one who could have fired Shawn’s gun was Shawn. Huh. Will didn’t know that Shawn had ever actually USED his gun. Bigger huh. BUCK IS DEAD. But Buck’s in the elevator? Just as Will’s trying to think this through, the door to the next floor opens. A teenage girl gets on, waves away the smoke from Dead Buck’s cigarette. Will doesn’t know her, but she knew him. Knew. When they were eight. And stray bullets had cut through the playground, and Will had tried to cover her, but she was hit anyway, and so what she wants to know, on that fifth floor elevator stop, is, what if Will, Will with the gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, MISSES. And so it goes, the whole long way down, as the elevator stops on each floor, and at each stop someone connected to his brother gets on to give Will a piece to a bigger story than the one he thinks he knows. A story that might never know an END…if WILL gets off that elevator. Told in short, fierce staccato narrative verse, Long Way Down is a fast and furious, dazzlingly brilliant look at teenage gun violence, as could only be told by Jason Reynolds. A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge This book looks creepy amazing. From amazon: In the underground city of Caverna, the world’s most skilled craftsmen toil in the darkness to create delicacies beyond compare—wines that remove memories, cheeses that make you hallucinate, and perfumes that convince you to trust the wearer, even as they slit your throat. On the surface, the people of Caverna seem ordinary, except for one thing: their faces are as blank as untouched snow. Expressions must be learned, and only the famous Facesmiths can teach a person to express (or fake) joy, despair, or fear—at a steep price. Into this dark and distrustful world comes Neverfell, a girl with no memory of her past and a face so terrifying to those around her that she must wear a mask at all times. Neverfell's expressions are as varied and dynamic as those of the most skilled Facesmiths, except hers are entirely genuine. And that makes her very dangerous indeed . . . I Will Always Write Back by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda I'm embarrassed to admit I have not read this one yet. A memoir of a pen pal friendship. From amazon: It started as an assignment. Everyone in Caitlin's class wrote to an unknown student somewhere in a distant place. Martin was lucky to even receive a pen-pal letter. There were only ten letters, and fifty kids in his class. But he was the top student, so he got the first one. That letter was the beginning of a correspondence that spanned six years and changed two lives. In this compelling dual memoir, Caitlin and Martin recount how they became best friends --and better people--through their long-distance exchange. Their story will inspire you to look beyond your own life and wonder about the world at large and your place in it. orbiting jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt This book has been recommended to me so many times! From amazon: The two-time Newbery Honor winner Gary D. Schmidt delivers the shattering story of Joseph, a father at thirteen, who has never seen his daughter, Jupiter. After spending time in a juvenile facility, he’s placed with a foster family on a farm in rural Maine. Here Joseph, damaged and withdrawn, meets twelve-year-old Jack, who narrates the account of the troubled, passionate teen who wants to find his baby at any cost. In this riveting novel, two boys discover the true meaning of family and the sacrifices it requires. Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham I think I might re-read this one this summer. It was that good. From amazon: Some bodies won't stay buried. Some stories need to be told. When seventeen-year-old Rowan Chase finds a skeleton on her family's property, she has no idea that investigating the brutal century-old murder will lead to a summer of painful discoveries about the present and the past. Nearly one hundred years earlier, a misguided violent encounter propels seventeen-year-old Will Tillman into a racial firestorm. In a country rife with violence against blacks and a hometown segregated by Jim Crow, Will must make hard choices on a painful journey towards self discovery and face his inner demons in order to do what's right the night Tulsa burns. One of Us is Lying by Karen M McManus "Breakfast Club" meets "Who Done It Thriller". I'm intrigued. Looks fun! Pay close attention and you might solve this. On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.
Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose? Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them. Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore I absolutely loved her Graceling series. I can not wait to see what she has come up with now. This looks pretty amazing. From amazon: Jane has lived a mostly ordinary life, raised by her recently deceased aunt Magnolia, whom she counted on to turn life into an adventure. Without Aunt Magnolia, Jane is lost. So she's easily swept away when a glamorous, capricious, and wealthy acquaintance from years ago asks Jane to accompany her to a gala at the extravagant island mansion called Tu Reviens. Jane remembers her aunt telling her: "If anyone ever invites to you to Tu Reviens, promise me that you'll go." What Jane doesn't know is that the house will offer her five choices that could ultimately determine the course of her life. One choice leads Jane into a heist mystery. Another takes her into a spy thriller. She finds herself in a gothic horror story, a space opera, and an extraordinary fantasy realm. She might fall in love, she might lose her life, she might come face-to-face with herself. Every choice comes with a price. But together, all the choices will lead her to the truth. One house. Five choices. Limitless possibilities. Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon Ok. This isn't on my list. You know why? Because I've read it already and you should, too. From amazon: My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla. But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He's tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly. Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster. AWESOME AUTHORS!!! Jason Reynolds You can't go wrong with Jason Reynolds. Track Series for Middle Grade readers (and up) and some fantastic choices for older, Young Adult, readers as well. Click on his picture to link to his website for book titles and descriptions. Cynthia Kadohata Cynthia Kadohata has been around for a bit, and I've just fallen back in love with her stories. Click on her picture to take you to her amazon.com page. And be sure to take a look at her newest book, Checked. Kwame Alexander I know, I know. This just looks like another ploy to put my picture of me and Kwame up again on the internets. But, honestly, you just can't go wrong with Kwame. Check out his newest title Rebound. So much fun to read! Link in picture brings you to his amazon.com page where you can peruse all of his awesomeness. Julia Alvarez I am completely flummoxed as to why Julia Alvarez isn't more widely talked about and read in schools. Her stories and writing reach right into my heart. I just love her books so much. Please check her out! (Link to amazon author page on picture) Marie Lu Last but definitely not least. Marie Lu, in a word, ROCKS. Seriously, if you are unfamiliar with her I-can't-put-these-down books then you need to remedy that oversight immediately. Immediately. Like now. Seriously, click on her face. It's Valentine's Day, y'all! Time to share the authors and books you are in LOVE with! I'm going to share my not-so-secret-anymore author crush on Kwame Alexander. There we are pictured above. Aren't we just adorbs together? :) Kwame just swept me off my feet with his Newbery Award Winning book The Crossover (pictured above, go ahead, look at our picture again). He continued his courtship with Booked, and then sealed the deal with Solo. I am in pins-and-needles anticipation of his April 2nd release of Rebound, the prequel to The Crossover. Seriously, his books consistently resonate with readers in a way I haven't seen too often, and I'm in my 20th year of teaching literature and reading. Pick him up, give his books a try, you won't be disappointed! Hello! One of my favorite book recommendation and book share sites for young people is Bookopolis. They have just released their Holiday Gift Guide, categorized by age level, interest, and genre. There are so many good ideas, and they are just one click away. Visit their gift giving guide here. Here is what's on my wish list of "I can't wait to read these books..." Hint. Hint. Triple Hint. Wishtree, by Katherine Applegate (writer of The One and Only Ivan and other awesomeness). From the publisher: Trees can't tell jokes, but they can certainly tell stories. . . . Red is an oak tree who is many rings old. Red is the neighborhood "wishtree"―people write their wishes on pieces of cloth and tie them to Red's branches. Along with a crow named Bongo and other animals who seek refuge in Red's hollows, this wishtree watches over the neighborhood. You might say Red has seen it all. Until a new family moves in. Not everyone is welcoming, and Red's experience as a wishtree is more important than ever. From what I've read and heard, Wishtree is a story of friendship, immigration, diversity, friendship, and kindness. It looks to be a winner. This book looks amazing!! Sci Fi + Historical Fiction + Changing Your Fate = MIND BLOWN! Description from publisher: Kansas, 2065: Adri has been handpicked to live on Mars. But weeks before launch, she discovers the journal of a girl who lived in her house more than a hundred years ago and is immediately drawn into the mystery surrounding her fate. Oklahoma, 1934: Amid the fear and uncertainty of the Dust Bowl, Catherine’s family’s situation is growing dire. She must find the courage to sacrifice everything she loves in order to save the one person she loves most. England, 1919: In the recovery following World War I, Lenore tries to come to terms with her grief for her brother, a fallen British soldier, and plans to sail to America. But can she make it that far? While their stories span thousands of miles and multiple generations, Lenore, Catherine, and Adri’s fates are entwined in ways both heartbreaking and hopeful. In Jodi Lynn Anderson’s signature haunting, lyrical prose, human connections spark spellbindingly to life, and a bright light shines on the small but crucial moments that determine one’s fate. Can one of my own children please read my blog and buy this for me please? This looks like a book I can really get into. :) This looks like a book that is going to make me cry hard. But, I'm totally ok with that. From the publisher: Rosie’s led a charmed life with her loving dad, who runs the town donut shop. It’s true her mother abandoned them when Rosie was just a baby, but her dad’s all she’s ever needed. But now that her father’s had a stroke, Rosie lives with her tough-as-nails grandfather. And her beloved dog, Gloaty Gus, has just gone missing. Rosie’s determined to find him. With the help of a new friend and her own determination, she’ll follow the trail anywhere . . . no matter where it leads. If she doesn’t drive the whole world crazy in the meantime. Kimberly Newton Fusco’s tender story brings to life a feisty, unsinkable, unstoppable, unforgettable girl who knows she’s a fighter . . . if she can only figure out who’s already on her side. This looks like a quirky, unique story. I have heard that it is laugh-out-loud funny. From the publisher: Prez knows that the best way to keep track of things is to make a list. That's important when you have a grandfather who is constantly forgetting. And it's even more important when your grandfather can't care for you anymore and you have to go live with a foster family out in the country. Prez is still learning to fit in at his new home when he answers the door to meet Sputnik—a kid who is more than a little strange. First, he can hear what Prez is thinking. Second, he looks like a dog to everyone except Prez. Third, he can manipulate the laws of space and time. Sputnik, it turns out is an alien, and he's got a mission that requires Prez's help: the Earth has been marked for destruction, and the only way they can stop it is to come up with ten reasons why the planet should be saved. Thus begins one of the most fun and eventful summers of Prez's life, as he and Sputnik set out on a journey to compile the most important list Prez has ever made—and discover just what makes our world so remarkable. Happy Reading!
Hello November! I've been reading a bit about teaching nonfiction to middle school students, and I thought I'd share some insights I have experienced as of late. To give credit where credit is due, I'm currently reading Reading Nonfiction: Notice and Note Stances, Signposts, and Strategies by Kylene Beers and Robert Probst. Words are important. The use of the term "nonfiction" could be a bit of a misnomer in some ways in that not all nonfiction is necessarily accurate. Beers and Probst suggest viewing nonfiction as "informational text" as it avoids defining the text as "true". Their middle school definition for informational text is: The group of texts in which the author makes claims or assertions to readers about the real world, real people, real experiences, ideas, or beliefs. What a cool way to approach this type of text, yes? You are not allowed to just read and let information "happen" to you. The reader needs to engage and determine the author or source's purpose and claims. This is such an important skill for a middle schooler (and all of us) to have. There's a danger in letting commentary or someone's perspective on things becoming your sole source of knowledge. And now for some books... Aaaah, this book is such dang FUN! I loved every minute of it. the Swap by Megan Shull is a take on swapping bodies (a la Freaky Friday) but far more entertaining for the middle school reader, I think. From the publisher: With one random wish, Jack and Ellie are living life in each other’s shoes. He’s her. And she’s him. ELLIE assumed popular guys didn’t worry about body image, being perfect, or talking to girls, but acting like you’re cool with everything is tougher than it looks. JACK thought girls had it easy—no fights with bullies, no demanding dads, no power plays—but facing mean girls at sleepovers and getting grilled about your period is way harder than taking a hit to the face at sports practice. Now they’re dealing with each other’s middle school dramas—locker room teasing, cliques, video game battles, bra shopping, and a slew of hilariously awkward moments—until they hopefully switch back! I love how each chapter is either Ellie's or Jack's perspective (and distinct voice). This was a fun, entertaining read, and I'd recommend it to any age middle school reader. I recently finished Benjamin Alire Saenz's the Inexplicable Logic of my Life. I picked it up because I loved loved loved his novel Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (see below). I am really digging his stories and characters. From the publisher: Sal used to know his place with his adoptive gay father, their loving Mexican American family, and his best friend, Samantha. But it’s senior year, and suddenly Sal is throwing punches, questioning everything, and realizing he no longer knows himself. If Sal’s not who he thought he was, who is he? This book is a roller coaster of a story. It's rare for me to be so fully invested in not only the main character, but all of the supporting characters as well. Each character's story is so compelling and important, and each is so richly drawn, there was hardly a moment where I wasn't fully engaged and rooting for every one of them. Due to mature language and content I'd recommend this book for 9th grade and up (or a mature 8th grader). While I'm on the subject of Saenz, I must share with you one of my favorite YA books of all time, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. From the editor: Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be. This book held everything for me: deep, compelling characters; writing bordering on poetry (awesome poetry); and a story line that kicked me in the gut and got a hold of my heart. It's become one of my all-time favs. If you don't trust my judgment, just look at the cover -- it's basically won ALL of the awards. I mean, I don't think they could fit another one on there. :) Again, there's mature content, but I'd hand this to a mature 8th grader. Hello! And welcome back to school! My reading partner-in-crime and I are pretty excited about the new stash of books we ordered for our school's "Reading Headquarters Room" this year (I teach in the "satellite" room: inside joke, it's tiny, but cozy). Today, I would like to share some books I read over the summer that I enjoyed. Trash, by Andy Mulligan, reads like a detective show in many ways. Three boys comb through trash at massive dumpsites in order to make money to survive. They discover something that the police want desperately. It's a piece to a larger, very dangerous puzzle the boys are determined to solve on their own. The book's thinner size with smaller chapters will appeal to reluctant readers, but the chapters told from different characters' points of view could be confusing at times (or not, depending on the reader). I couldn't put it down. I absolutely had to find out what was going to happen next. The Big Dark by Rodman Philbrick will appeal to apocalyptic-natural disaster fans. One night, the Earth's electromagnetic fields go haywire and the it's like someone has turned off the electricity to the entire planet. Nothing that depends on electrical circuits work. I love reading about disaster scenarios and wondering what I would do if faced with the same situation (not quite sure what that says about me). This one doesn't disappoint. A quick, easier read that will appeal to more reluctant readers. A word of content caution: an anti-government group/cult emerges to try to take power of the town. There is some violence, and also themes of a "superior race." I'd recommend 6/7th grade and up. Ok. So, this book made me laugh out loud, but I don't think it's for everyone. The main character is a Russian teen-genius-scientist who is brought to America to help NASA intercept and destroy an asteroid heading for Los Angeles. The narrator cracked me up with his interpretation and challenges with American culture and his quirky sense of humor. It would appeal to readers with a dry, sarcastic sense of humor who enjoy math and science. See what I mean about this book not being for everyone? Some mature content, I'd recommend 8th grade and up. Learning to Swear in America by Katie Kennedy. |
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