Summer reading so far...

I 've started my yearly summer reading with some really good choices. Starting with the "youngest" read from my recent trip to the library, I found a great series to supplement an elementary social studies teacher's instruction. Jon Scieszak, author of a great retelling of the three little pigs from the big bad wolf's point of view, has penned several books in what is called "The Time Warp Trio." I picked up It's All Greek to Me  and deeply enjoyed Sciezak's mix of time travel, Greek mythology, and clever characters. The main characters in the series, Joe, Fred, and Sam are transported back in time as they are about to begin their school play about Greek Mythology. How they make it back is entertaining to say the least. This series, which also includes time warps back to King Arthur's court, ancient Egypt, and the Stone Age would be a great addition to any beginning chapter book collection.

My next to choices of books seem related to me, but I didn't really know it at the time. I had previous read Sold by Patricia McCormick and deeply enjoyed Purple Heart. This tale brought my husband's 7 deployments to light in a new way. Previously, he had complained about military politics, but the extent to which the head turning to avoid seeing what is happening in this text feels alarming to me. I would never give this text to a military child. The dangers the character faces, the feeling of being lost, as he searches for what really happened in an accident seems to real. I applaud McCormick for her honesty; it scared me a little bit. This book, as well as Everybody Sees the Ants, belong in high school libraries because they both have something important to say. Lucky Linderman faces bullying every day of his life, and the fact that his mother is a squid (won't stand up for herself and swims laps at the local pool for hours a day) and his father is a turtle (a chef who won't face family problems and the only activity he enjoys with his son is watching the Food Network in silence). No wonder he sees tiny ants as his cheerleaders and dreams of freeing his grandfather from a POW camp in Vietnam. This text gives students an opportunity to explore topics like bullying, family loss, and confronting fears that I am surprised it doesn't have a Printz Sticker on the front like A.S. King's other book
Please Ignore Vera Dietz.


My next read this summer was Boston Jane by Jennifer Holm. I am always a sucker for good historical fiction and something that is a quick read for me. I feel that girls in 4th though 7th grade would enjoy watching Jane Peck of Philadelphia become Boston Jane. We can all learn something from her, as she quickly learns that pioneers and Chinook Indians don't understand the importance of being a lady. Adjusting to her surroundings makes Jane a very admirable heroine. I am always surprised how much I enjoy a Jennifer Holm book, particularly Turtle in Paradise. I intend to pick up the next Boston Jane  book or Our Only Amelia during my nest trip to the library.

This is Not My Hat

The 2013 Caldecott Winner is This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen. I found this book to be deceptively simple and wildly entertaining. The illustrations were created digitally and in Chinese ink; this makes me wonder if is should have won the Caldecott award. 

However, I always deeply enjoy children's picture books that tell the story mainly through the pictures that are present. They make read alouds and sharing a book with a child who can not read yet easier. The way this book is constructed lends itself to teaching lessons with predictions to young students who have not completely mastered reading yet. There is also a obvious moral lesson here: taking someone else's stuff is wrong.

What Do You Do When Something Wants To Eat You?

I've found a great book, that is deeply educational and entertaining in What Do You Do When Something Wants To Eat You? by Steve Jenkins. This piece of non-fiction, published in 1997, showcases animal adaptations in very clever ways. The pictures are not deeply graphic, but entertaining collages. On one page we see "If a puffer fish is in danger..." and a picture of a shark chasing a fish. When we turn the page, we see "it takes on water and swells up like a prickly balloon, making itself almost impossible to swallow."

This book layout, adds suspense and would make read-alouds more entertaining and engaging. I would recommend this book for purchase for an elementary library, even though it is non-fiction and does not follow all of the conventions of non-fiction. There is no index, or glossary, but students can still find value and learning in the text.

Monsters Eat Whiny Children

I've just found a lovely book that seems very appropriate for many teachers and teaching situations this time of year. Published in 2010, Monsters Eat Whiny Children by Bruce Eric Kaplan is a cautionary tale to children prone to being whiny. Henry and Eve get stolen away early in their tale, and they really deserve it because they are really, really, really whiny.

The monster debates with family members over a whiny-child salad, a whiny-child burger, a whiny-child cake or a whiny-child vindaloo. Not to be a spoil sport, but, buy the time the settle on whiny-child cucumber sandwich, Henry and Ever are gone, "never" to whine again.

The drawings are simple and entertaining, and the monsters are not scary looking. I think children would be entertained by this tale and adults would find humor in the fact that the monsters are pretty whiny themselves.

One Cool Friend

One of this year's Caldecott Honors books is One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo and illustrated by David Small. This picture book starts out with the statement "Elliot was a very proper young man." Elliot wears a tuxedo and in some way, acquires a pet penguin from family day at the museum. I deeply enjoyed this book not only because of the moral of the story, but because the clever use of the pops of color. Elliot's backpack is red, his father wears green. The pictures give us hints about what father's pet might be. Astute picture book readers will figure it out, because dad eats turtles and dresses a bit like a turtle too. I think that this is a great book and the drawings add to the narrative, like the pictures in a Caldecott Honor book should

Second Helpings

I might be addicted to Jessica Darling and her wit. I find her deeply engaging and entertaining and that might be why I have finished reading this second book, Second Helpings, by Megan McCafferty so quickly. Jessica Darling is perhaps one of the most likable characters in all of young adult chick-lit; yes she is flawed and makes some very poor decisions in Second Helpings. We all have lessons to learn from her mistakes.

I think I enjoy reading things from Jessica's point of view so much because I once was just like her and I identify with her problems. I was a senior in high school just like Jessica on September 11th. I struggled with finding a healthy way to react to the event. I wanted to fit in and be part of something, but not by running Cross Country, a sport which my father thought I enjoyed, just like Jessica's father. I was filled with angst over my college acceptance and hated my mailman just like Jessica. However, the fact that Jessica can still be true to herself as a best-selling book and movie based on that book become big money makers, her very pregnant sister moves back in the house, her grandmother struggles after a second stroke and Marcus Flutie is still messing with her, proves that this book provides young readers with a good role model- even though she makes some pretty big mistakes.

I believe that I mentioned that first book addressed common teen issues like sex, drinking, drugs, and the peer pressure to participate in the the activities related to sex, drinking, and drugs. Thus, this book is for mature high school students.

Frank Lloyd Wright and His New American Architecture

I've recently started training to become a docent at the Darwin D. Martin House on Jewett in Buffalo. The home, designed by Wright, is in the process of being restored. In an effort to become more well-rounded in the background of the beautiful home I will be presenting to tourists, I selected a biography of Wright, Frank Lloyd Wright and His New American Architecture. This text was written by Bob Kann and is part of the Badger Biography Series created by the Wisconsin Historical Society. Other subjects in this series include Harley and the Davidsons, Richard Bong- the WWII flying Ace, the Ringling Brothers, and several other famous Wisconsin-ites. I feel like most middle school libraries in Wisconsin probably already own this series of biographies, but it would be a productive series for other middle and elementary school librarians to look into. We often assign biography projects where we ask students to study a famous person and they come back with only contemporary famous people. The members of this series might help us enlargen the world of our students.

In Frank Lloyd Wright and His New American Architecture, I learned a great deal about the life of Wright, his inspirations, and his struggles. I felt like some of the more dirty aspects of Wright's life were hinted at, but readers were focused more on accomplishments, like building a 600 room hotel that could survive one of the greatest earthquakes in Japanese history. The Martin House is not mentioned in the discussion of Prarie architecture, but there is extensive discussion of the Robie House, which is similarly designed, but in Illinois. The book also follows all of the conventions of non-fiction by including a table of contents, glossary, timeline, further reading and even reading group activities.

Both the Badger Biography Series and Frank Lloyd Wright and His New Merican Architecture are thoughtfully crafted to inform students in a constructive way.

Sloppy Firsts

When I went in the high school library a few days ago, the librarian recommend Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty. I had told her that I liked to read books in a series and girly fiction. I think that in Sloppy Firsts she made me an excellent recommendation.

First of all, I would like to say that this is definitely a high school book. There is no way I would purchase this for a middle school library or place it in the Juvenile section of a public library. Discussion of drinking, drug use, and sex abound. In the context of the moral lesson or overall message of the book, I would think that most parents of high schools would want their daughters to read things from Jessica Darling's point of view. They would be mortified is the book was written from some of her friend's point of view. I think that the only reason that most teens would not like this book would be because it was published almost 10 years ago and the technology might feel a little off. One of the main characters has a beeper.

Sloppy Firsts  is a journal written from the Jessica "Notso" Darling's point of view. Her best friend, ironically named Hope, has moved away and Jessica doesn't really enjoy the company of her other friends, whom she affectionately calls the Clueless Crew. Jessica struggles with fitting into the typical high school and understanding the culture. Her "friends" think she just has a bad attitude because Hope moved away, but a closer examination would help them find the truth. I enjoyed reading Sloppy Firsts, but I don't like where it ended, with Jessica nearly friendless, except for the one day visit from Hope. I've started reading Second Helpings so that I can change this image of Jessica in my mind.

Spring Reading

I've been busy lately, but I have managed to find some time to read. Recently, I've finished 3 books, all of which I enjoyed.

First, I went down the classic literature road and select a Bronte sister book that I have never read, Agnes Grey. Agnes Grey was written by the lesser known of the sisters, Anne. Agnes is a bit of nag, and had high expectations of her pupils from the beginning, but like in most Bronte sister literature, the people that employ the governess are a little cruel. There is always one shinning star of high morality; there is always a governess falling in love with the high moral character, who usually happens to be poor.  I enjoyed reading Agnes Grey because it was brief in comparison to other similar literature and because the copy that I read had great footnotes that related the actual novel to the life of all three Bronte sisters. I would add this book to a high school library collection, because it is probably on (or near) most AP reading lists and addresses many themes that students might be required to write about on the AP Literature Exam.

Secondly , I just finished reading a book called Wentworth Hall.  I selected the book because the cover promised me that if I thought there were lots of scandals going on at the Abby, I would find this book scandals too. This tale was set in the same period as Downton Abby and I am an avid watcher. Though the story was entertaining, I will admit that even I could pick out the anachronisms here. I was entertained and found it easy to relate to, but I would not really promote this as historical fiction. It may have been set in one of the great houses of England around 1900, but I'm not sure that the relationships or actions of the characters accurately depict how the upper crust of England would have behaved at this point in time. The author, Abby Grahame, is simply trying to  capitalize on a pop culture trend and write a book that might entertain a Downton Abby watcher for a few hours (I read it on a plane trip from Buffalo to Tampa). If I were to purchase the book, I would select it for a middle or high school library and recommend it to my more avid readers.

Finally, I just finished reading the 3 book in the Bloodlines series. Bloodlines is a spin-off of the Vampire Academy series. I have been given a lot of vampire books to read in my time, probably because I named my cat after Edward Cullen. However, I usually don't read beyond the first book in most vampire series. I usually find them too predictable. This is not the case with the Vampire Academy Series or the Bloodlines spin off. The third book is called Indigo Spell, and like all the others is written by Richelle Mead. I liked Indigo Spell, because Richelle Mead really takes her readers into the thought processes of her main character, Sydney. Sydney is an Alchemist, charged with keeping the vampire world hidden from the average human. In this particular installment of the series, she is trying to overcome years of being conditioned to do what is expected of her. I think that there might be a valuable lesson to learn for most teen girls here. I also think that Mead walks very close to the edge, but never crosses, the sexual tension line that we have come to expect from vampire books. Thus, I would recommend both of these series to middle and high school librarians. I wait impatiently for each new installment.

The Gold-Laced Coat

I was given a copy of The Gold-Laced Coat by Helen Fuller Orton for Christmas by my neighbors. The wrote on the inside "This book was required reading when we were in the third grade (1959)! Local history and all!" I deeply enjoy the company of my neighbors, so I was deeply excited to read this book.

The Gold-Laced Coat is set the Niagara Frontier while the French were running the fur trade from what we now call Old Fort Niagara. If you ever visit Niagara Falls, I would recommend visiting the fort, about 15 miles away too, especially if you have read this book. The story begins with Phillipe, a young French boy, arriving to stay with his father, a soldier, at Fort Niagara.

The plot of the story moves forward and provides us with explanations of how the Indians traded with the French, how the people of the frontier traveled through the region, relationships between the French, Indians, and the English. The story moves forward through history from there (I don't want to give too much away to those who are not history buffs).

I enjoyed this reading because of the people who gave it to me and because it was a great and accurate piece of historical fiction. I'm not sure that I would give it to a third grader to read; I thought the level might be a bit higher. However, I intend to pass it along to my mother who visited me in Niagara Falls this summer and went to the fort with me.

Loser/ Queen

Before I really get started, I should probably say that Jodi Lynn Anderson is probably one of my favorite young adult authors. Last spring, I read her Peaches series, and though I had a few reservations then, I have come to believe that it was a great series because there were lessons to be learned from the experiences of the three main characters. I feel the same way about Loser/ Queen.

In Loser/Queen Cammy is a major misfit. She does not have any real friends besides the exchange student from Denmark, Gerdi. Things start changing for Gerdi when she starts to text with the mysterious "White Rabbit." The White Rabbit makes her cool, unique, popular, a stand-out, a friend to the friendless, liked, desirable to boys and all the other things that teenager wants to be.

When the White Rabbit starts to ask Cammy to do things that are inappropriate or could really hurt someone, things start to go wrong.

I loved Loser/Queen not only because there are lessons to be learned from Cammy's mistakes, but because Anderson's writing is welcoming and age appropriate, just like it was in the Peaches series and Tiger Lilly.  Loser/Queen makes me appreciate how wide a subject area that Anderson is equipped to write within, From a southern trifecta of lonely teens in Peaches to a fantasy from a new point of view in Tiger Lilly to a misfit on the way to new understandings in Loser/ Queen.

Prom and Prejudice

I've recently finished reading Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg. I selected this story because I have a new affinity for a good retelling and the Jane Austen classic has and always will be one of my favorites. After reading a retelling of Jane, which I have previous blogged about, I had very high expectations for this retelling. I'm sorry to say that Prom and Prejudice fell a little short of my high expectations. The reason for this is most likely because this is more a of a middle school book and I checked it out from a high school library.

Of course, the plot is great. Darcey attends a private high school, Pemberly and Elizabeth is attends Longborn on a piano scholarship. Of course, the two do not like each other on their first meeting. Of course, Jane, Elizabeth's roommate is extremely nice but has fallen on harder times because her father was laid off. Of course, Jane's sister Lydia is completely ridiculous. Of course, Wickham is Mr. Wickham. Of course, instead of the search for a husband, this is the story of a search for a prom date.

I think I would have liked Prom and Prejudice much better if I hadn't read the retelling of Jane Eyre first and if I had checked it out from a middle school library.