Mock Newbery 2014 Club Summer #1 Meeting

Mock Newbery 2014 Club Summer #1 Meeting

Monday, February 10, 2014

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I need to do better with updating blog posts on the classroom site!  BOTH parents and students, please leave a comment about what you're reading, too!

This is a meme started by Teach Mentor Texts , and I participate every week, along with many other bloggers, in reviewing kids' books I read the previous week. 
  
 
PICTURE BOOK
 
Baby Penguins Love their Mama
 


 
 
Aw! Such a sweet book about the love a mother has for her children. Even when they grow up, she's still a mom! Guion's penguin illustrations are so cute! I won a signed copy from Kid Lit Frenzy.  It appeared at my front door in a pile of snow.  How apropos!  I'll share this book with my 5th graders since it will go perfectly with our family/home unit.
 
MIDDLE GRADE/YA BOOKS
 
Almost Home
 
 

 
 
(You have to read the book to know why I wrote this review as a thank you note!)
 
Dear Maggie,

I want to thank you for lending me this book because you thought it connected to our family/home literacy contract. You were so right, and I LOVED it! Sugar Mae Cole was so brave and saw beauty in everything. She had gratitude for even the small things in life, and that saved her. Didn't you just love Shush? I loved how Shush found purpose and courage after being so afraid. I marked this line from Sugar: "I've learned something about sadness this last year. Sometimes the best thing you can do is just sit with someone who's hurting; you don't have to say anything or offer advice, you just sit there. I think dogs understand this better than people." I also thought Mr. Bennett was inspirational. I sure hope I am or can become a teacher like him. I thought the things he said and wrote to Sugar were awesome. He believed in her, and that made a huge difference in her life. Maybe I should paint one of my classroom walls red! It was so sad when Reba lost her way, but thank goodness for Lexie and Mac, and finally, Helen. I'm so happy Reba finally stood up to Mr. Leeland. Sugar's "Almost Home" poem at the end was beautiful and explained the concept of home perfectly. This book would be great to pair with Hold Fast by Blue Balliett and also reminds me of our read aloud now,  How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor.  I can also connect it to One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. Thanks, again, Maggie, for introducing me to this book!

Sincerely, Mrs. Mueller


Better Nate Than Ever
 
 
 
 
 
Lots of people have recommended this book, and it was an award winner at the ALA Youth Media Awards, and now I know why! The humor, courage, and resiliency of the narrator, 13-yr-old Nate Foster, make you cheer for him all the way through the story. It takes a lot of hutzpah to run away to Broadway all by yourself, but Nate chases the dream of landing a part in a musical in the Big Apple by doing just that. He tries out for E.T.: The Musical, and his best friend, Libby, always in his corner, covers for him back home. There are some mature themes, so this book isn't for everybody, but it addresses things like bullying.  He shows us how people can hurt each other, but he also shows us how people can be strong and forgiving. Beware - you'll need to go out and get Five, Six, Seven, Nate right away because it ends on a cliffhanger!  You should have seen the look on Paige's when I handed the second one to her last week.  She couldn't wait to read what happened!
 
CURRENTLY READING
 
The Shadow Throne (The Ascendance Trilogy, #3)
 
CURRENTLY LISTENING TO
 
Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle, #2)

Now comment below to tell me what YOU'RE reading!

17 comments:

  1. On my commute, I am listening to Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand, which is a non-fiction book about WWII. I have the book, too, so I switch between listening and reading. Keenan is enjoying the audio in the car, and my husband will listen to it when I am done. I am also reading Flight Behavior, by Barbara Kingsolver, for my monthly book club.

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    1. Mrs. Darkins, I LOVED Unbroken! I can't wait to see the movie. I can't imagine what it's going to be like. Be sure to read her book, Seabiscuit, if you haven't already! I liked Flight Behavior. My favorite Kingsolver books are The Bean Trees and Poisonwood Bible. Thanks so much for commenting!

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  2. I just read The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom. SO good!! I am now reading Divergent along with Gracie. I'm really liking it so far. - Amie Kocher

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    1. Our book read that, too! It was really good! I'm glad you're reading Divergent with Gracie. It's such a good series! Can't wait for the movie!

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    2. I cried when I read The Kitchen House, great read!

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  3. I just finished, The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh Again, the power of love and family pervail.

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    1. Oooh, we read The Language of Flowers for my book club, and I loved it! You're right - definitely a family/home themed book.

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  4. Mrs. Mueller, I received Night Circus for Christmas from Paige and I have finished it. It was really interesting as a book for adults, it had suspense, mystery, challenge, great descriptions of magic (which I love) and some romantic elements. I think Paige knew you read it last year and that is why she picked it out! Have a great long weekend!!!

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    1. Yes! I did read it. That's neat that she remembered. The audio was amazing. Thanks so much for commenting! :-)

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  5. I am still reading CANADA, by Richard Ford. I barely finish a chapter a week because of my book tour, but I'm enjoying it! Thanks for sharing my book with your students and parents! :)

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    1. You're welcome! I bet that book tour is keeping you busy - how exciting!

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  6. I just read, Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. Easy, thought provoking, but not my favorite.

    My boys and I started listening to The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer during our road trip to Michigan over the long weekend. It is a little more sci-fi than I normally enjoy, but they are enjoying it.

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    1. One of my friends read Me Before You for her book club. I love audios, don't you?! Thanks so much for commenting!

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  7. Sunday, I just started reading Defending Jacob by William Landy. Our neighborhood book club is reading it...they meet Wednesday-so I won't even be close to finished, but I enjoy reading books that people recommend. I am a big fan of Jodi Picoult, and I think this book is going to be a little like her writing with suspense, tragedy, and twists.

    Mallory, our 7th grader is reading Insurgent. PJ-6th grade-loved Maze Runner so much he finished it early, and wants to begin reading Killing Kennedy by Bill O'Reilly (I read Killing Lincoln to the kids this past summer). Nicholas-4th grade-is reading Fridle, and Elise-2nd grade-is listening to Fridle and reading Ivy and Bean, book 1.

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    1. I read Defending Jacob for my book club too, and I agree it was like a Jodi Picoult book! I'm a big fan of hers, too. I got to meet her and get my picture taken with her. :-) I love that you included all your kids' reading. Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!!

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  8. I started reading The Candy Makers. So far its' good.

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