Thanks to: TeachMentorTexts for the inspiration! Thanks to Jen and Kellee for the meme! What a fun reading week! Grateful for the time and reading distraction as my family enjoys our first week of summer holiday here in Hong Kong…. I even snuck in a new book, read soon after buying from the store… Honestly though, I really needed a break from most things for the transition to summer break, so I’ve distracted myself more with catching up on a few t.v. shows vs. reading too many books. Trying to balance out life…
Fiction Books:
Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner – Historical Fiction, Middle School/High School: I blogged about this book already, but I’ll simply say, fantastic book x 20. I was amazed. I was compelled. I was shocked. I was torn and upset. Well, well, well done. Styling Librarian #ThirstDay with Maggot Moon Goodreads Summary: “What if the football hadn’t gone over the wall. On the other side of the wall there is a dark secret. And the devil. And the Moon Man. And the Motherland doesn’t want anyone to know. But Standish Treadwell — who has different-colored eyes, who can’t read, can’t write, Standish Treadwell isn’t bright — sees things differently than the rest of the “train-track thinkers.” So when Standish and his only friend and neighbor, Hector, make their way to the other side of the wall, they see what the Motherland has been hiding. And it’s big…One hundred very short chapters, told in an utterly original first-person voice, propel readers through a narrative that is by turns gripping and darkly humorous, bleak and chilling, tender and transporting.”
The Center of Everything by Linda Urban – Realistic Fiction, 4th-5th grade: Thrilled I got my hands on this wonderful book. I feel like I’m collecting favorite first lines lately. This one: “In the beginning, there was the donut.” I enjoyed taking the time to understand, experience, and sit in awe of Linda Urban’s creative mind. Darn her for making me cry every time I read one of her books! Such a touching, heartbreaking book… Goodreads Summary: “For Ruby Pepperdine, the “center of everything” is on the rooftop of Pepperdine Motors in her donut-obsessed town of Bunning, New Hampshire, stargazing from the circle of her grandmother Gigi’s hug. That’s how everything is supposed to be—until Ruby messes up and things spin out of control. But she has one last hope. It all depends on what happens on Bunning Day, when the entire town will hear Ruby read her winning essay. And it depends on her twelfth birthday wish—unless she messes that up too. Can Ruby’s wish set everything straight in her topsy-turvy world?”
The Water Castle by Megan Frazer Blakemore – Fantasy, 4th grade and up: I loved this book, all the way through… It reminded me a tiny bit like Tuck Everlasting. I loved jumping back and forth in time and additionally, the cover of the book was killing me… I couldn’t figure out what scene it was until part way through the book. Overcoming conflict and working together for a purpose was fantastic to enjoy during the book. I hope to enjoy other books by Megan Frazer Blakemore… I also loved the message flowing through the book to “believe”. Well worth the read. Even with distractions and activities through this read, I found this book to be compelling and interesting… Goodreads Summary: “The story of a boy whose family has moved to his mother’s family estate in a small town in Maine to help his father recover from a stroke, and a girl, whose family have been the caretakers of that home for over 100 years, and how they work together to solve the mystery of the Fountain of Youth that their ancestors spent their lives searching for, and that just might save the boy’s father.”
Bobby Vs. Girls (Accidentally) by Lisa Yee, illustrated by Dan Santat – Realistic Fiction, 3rd grade and up: Really loved the story. Beautiful friendship story packed with real-life turmoil. It has been a long time since I cried over a fish, but I certainly did this time. The tree hugging incident was my favorite part of this book! Just beautiful… This is a perfect book to partner with Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume. Goodreads Summary: “Meet Robert Carver Ellis-Chan — a perfectly normal fourth-grader who gets into perfectly crazy situations! Like when he was running for class president and discovered his big sister’s panties static-clinging to the back of his sweater. Or when he got stuck to the rare sticky (and stinky) Koloff tree on a field trip. . . . Then there’s his family — busy mom, ex-pro football player dad, a bossy older sister and an adoring younger one — and best friends (one of whom is a secret, because she’s a *girl*). Life may be complicated for Bobby, but it’s going to turn out just fine.”
Shine On Daizy Star by Cathy Cassidy – Realistic Fiction, 3rd grade and up: Interesting story, enjoyed seeing how a parent’s mid-life crisis has a huge impact on the entire family. Quality story for girls… especially those who want to read about someone who is having problems with friends and communication issues. Publisher summary: “She’s quirky and cool and loving life in Year Six with her best friends Willow and Beth. But when Dad hatches a mad plan that will turn life upside-down, Daizy is too horrified to tell anyone at all . . . and pretty soon she finds herself tangled up in a knot of secrets and lies. Will Daizy realize that even when she’s sinking, her friends and family are there to help her swim?”
Audio Books Enjoying:
I am in the middle of The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater – Fantasy, High School – interesting audiobook so far… Goodreads Summary: “It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive. Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her. His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble. But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.
For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.”
Early Chapter Book:
Clementine and the Spring Trip by Sara Pennypacker - HOW I LOVE jumping back into Clementine’s world! I didn’t rush through this book, so glad for that choice. Favorites: description of how characters go beyond their normal- “Margaretty” and “Going crunchy”- read to find out why! I’ve loved watching how Clementine has grown as a friend through the books including having the strength to stop, think, and adjust her actions to help her friend feel better. So beautiful to read and watch, hoping that students who read this in the future see a glimpse of how they can be as friends as well… Goodreads Summary: “For Clementine, spring is a really big deal. It’s the time for seeing her apple tree start to grow, for watching her friend Margaret go crazy with spring cleaning, and for going on the school trip to Plimoth Plantation. Clementine is ready for Ye Olden Times, but she isn’t so sure about surviving lunch there-the fourth graders have strict rules about no eating sounds. (What is snicking, anyway? ) If that wasn’t enough, Clementine also faces the challenges of learning Olive-language and surviving The Cloud on Bus 7. Hearing the pilgrim lady talk about why she made the long journey from England makes Clementine think about rules. Who makes them, and what do they mean to the people who have to live with them? Today Clementine has to decide which rules are made to be broken.”
I enjoyed #TitleTalk with the topic of one of my favorite genres: Fantasy! I learned about way too many new titles to read, a few books rose to the top of my to-be-read list, and I enjoyed an hour of conversation with some brilliant other educator-readers out there, what fun it always is. Happy I got up early for it. (Since 8pm EST is 8am my time the next day.) So, here are two webpages I appreciated a reminder about from #titletalk:
http://www.cybils.com/2012-finalists-fantasy-science-fiction-middle-grade.html
and
http://www.genrefluent.com
Want more book ideas and reviews? – Yes, I’m quite brief, but a prolific reader! Please visit me at Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1941055-the-styling-librarian Also, please follow this blog through email updates – (do so to the right of this blog post), my Facebook page, comment, or meet up with me on Twitter. I appreciate all of the support, makes my day! Honored by all the wonderful followers.
Filed under: Blog, Book Recommendations, Book Review, Books, Weekly Reading Update
