Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is an incredibly moving story about hate, violence, and forgiveness. At first I had a little bit of trouble with the movement of the narrative between past and present, but soon fell into the rhythm of the story. I still can't imagine what it would be like to be in the characters' situation of a school shooting, but I did feel pulled into Valerie's world of hurt, confusion, and stress. The characters where so well crafted.



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The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet

The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet by Erin Dionne

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Erin Dionne has a gift for creating realistic middle school characters. I loved Celeste and her friends in Models and just as I agonized with her through her trials as an 8th grader struggling to find herself and her place, I loved and agonized with Hamlet and her struggle. While her struggle was similar- trying to find where she fit- her personality and situation where so completely different. The message of this book encouraged me, and I'm not 13 anymore!

I am so thankful to have Erin's books on my classroom bookshelf. They are books that I will book talk with each class. I'm thrilled that almost all of my 8th graders have already read these books. I'm very much looking forward to Erin's visit to our school next month, and am anxiously awaiting her third book.



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Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies by Erin Dionne

Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies by Erin Dionne

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I am so thankful that I have this book in my classroom library and ashamed to say that I've owned it for at least a year or more and haven't read it before now. Aside from the fact that it made me want to eat Oreo cookies, I loved the story. Celeste is a wonderful main character and a delightful narrator.



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The New World by Patrick Ness

The New World by Patrick Ness

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This is the prequel to The Chaos Walking trilogy. I'm glad that I read it after reading the series. It was good, but short.



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Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler

Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I'm so glad I had a snow day to sit and read this book! Once I met Delilah Hannaford, I wanted to stay with her until the end to see her through the confusion and mystery of her summer. Everything that Delilah thought she knew about herself and her family begins to unwind with one phone call from her aunt. Over the course of the summer she rediscovers herself and her family. This beautifully crafted story shows the complexity of family relationships, the value of strong women, and the importance of holding your head up, risking love, and moving forward in the face of brokenness. The characters are complex and real. The language is beautiful. Upon finishing the book I immediately wanted to see where all the characters were in a year.

This is Sarah's second novel. I loved Twenty Boy Summer and have been looking forward to reading Fixing Delilah. I was not at all disappointed.



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Losing Faith by Denise Jaden

Losing Faith by Denise Jaden

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I am always delighted when I find a book that deals with the Christian faith in an honest and real way. Losing Faith joins Quaking by Katherine Erskine and Once Was Lost by Sarah Zarr on my list of books that show the struggle of being a person of faith and living in the real world with real issues and doubts.

As I read, I felt the same compulsion as main character Brie Jenkins to find out what really happened to her sister Faith. The mystery unfolded at a perfect pace. Brie's narrative voice was a fairly authentic one. There where a couple of times that Brie made an observation about the motivation behind another character's actions that I thought were a little unreal. But then upon reflection, they could be very much in keeping with a young teen who is growing, changing, and in the middle of grief.

I couldn't wait to book talk this to my 8th graders Friday morning after having finished it the night before. However, I never got the chance. The mother of one of my 8th graders, with whom I often swap book recommendations, was in and while I handed over my copy of LHA's Forge to borrow, I began to tell her about Losing Faith. She was instantly intrigued and asked to borrow it. So my 8th graders will just have to wait, but this is a book that I am thankful I purchased and will gladly place on my classroom shelf.



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Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Boyea

Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I read this book in one night. I just couldn't put it down. The story is told in snip-its by a handful of students in Mr. Terupt's 5th grade class. The narrative flows beautifully through the various points of view. By the end of the story I felt as if I had truly gotten to know these students. It also reminded me (once again) that there are things my students are dealing with that I have no clue about.



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The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a book that is important for young adults to read. It deals with a difficult topic-date rape, and gives an important message: the absence of "no" does not mean "yes"; and to the victim- it's not your fault. This is a book that will be in my library if ever I teach high school.

I loved the main character Alex. Her vivid imagination was a fun addition to a serious story and gave her some real depth. As a teacher it made me sad that the adults were so unwilling to face the reality of what the students at Themis Academy dealt with. The character of Miss Damata was a saving grace to the profession.





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Currently Reading

Losing Faith by Denise Jaden




I'm about half way through this book and can't put it down. A very compelling story.



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Recently Read

The Greatest Catch: A Life in Teaching by Penny Kittle

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Oh how I wish I had known that Penny Kittle was in North Conway when I was living in Wolfeboro. ( I also wish I had known Ralph Fletcher was in the Dover area when I was teaching in Barrington!) This book was so encouraging and inspiring. I love the parallels Penny draws between fishing and teaching. They are spot on. It's not just a feel good about your calling book, either. Penny has included Craft Notes that demonstrate how she composed her essays so that the reader can use the same strategies for their classroom life. This book is challenging my thinking about how I teach writing, my own writing, and how I view my students. Penny is a great model for how to reach kids and how to reflect on your own teaching. Reading this book pushes me to be a better teacher.



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Books I Read in 2010

I keep a reading log in a composition notebook. I read so much, the log helps me keep track of what I've read and when I read it. After reading several posts about people's reading in the last year, I decided to type up my reading list from 2010 and post it. I was surprised by two things: 1)the total number of books I read, and 2) how few "grown-up" books I've read.

So my goals for this year-
1. Keep reading, maybe break 200.
2. Read more "grown-up" books- not just professional books, but also ones for fun

Here is my list from 2010, the "grown-up" books are marked with an *

Books I Read in 2010

1. Catching Fire- Suzanne Collins
2. The 39 Clues: Book 3-The Sword Thief- Peter Lerangis
3. The Book Thief- Marcus Zukas
4. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landeu-Banks- E. Lockhart
5. The Adoration of Jenna Fox- Mary Pearson
6. The Power of One (Young Reader’s Condensed)- Bryce Courtenay
7. *The Kite Runner (CD)- Khaled Hosseini
8. The Shadow Club- Neal Shusterman
9. *Romeo and Juliet- Wm. Shakespeare (A re-read in prep for teaching it)
10. Tears of a Tiger- Sharon M. Draper
11. *Animal Farm- George Orwell
12. Beyond the Chocolate War- Robert Cormier
13. The Higher Power of Lucky- Susan Patron
14. The Teacher’s Funeral- Richard Peck
15. Gregor the Overlander- Suzanne Collins
16. The Westing Game- Ellen Raskin
17. Little Brother- Cory Doctorow
18. Faraway Summer- Johanna Hurwitz
19. Lost and Found- Anne Schraff
20. The Summer I Turned Pretty- Jenny Han
21. Trees in the Pavement- Jennifer Anne Grosser
22. *Robert Cormier: Daring to Disturb the Universe- Patty Campbell
23. Robert Cormier: Author of the Chocolate War- Ann Angel
24. Robert Cormier: Banned, Challenged, and Censored- Wendy Hart Beckman
25. Robert Cormier- Sarah L. Thompson
26. Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life- Rachel Renee Russell
27. The 39 Clues Book 4: Beyond the Grave- Jude Watson
28. The Secret Language of Girls- Frances O’Roark Dowell
29. The Knife of Never Letting Go- Patrick Ness
30. Bystander- James Preller
31. The Compound- S.A. Bodeen
32. The Rag and Bone Shop- Robert Cormier
33. Touch Blue- Cynthia Lord
34. *Arcadia Falls- Carol Goodman
35. What My Mother Doesn’t Know- Sonya Sones
36. Stop Pretending- Sonya Sones
37. *On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft- Stephen King
38. The Ask and The Answer- Patrick Ness
39. After Ever After- Jordan Sonnenblick
40. Zen and the Art of Faking It- Jordan Sonnenblick
41. Go and Come Back- Joan Abelove
42. The Maze Runner- James Dashner
43. What I Saw and How I Lied- Judy Blundell
44. Breathless- Jessica Warman
45. Epitaph Road- David Patneaude
46. *In the Time of the Butterflies- Julia Alvarez
47. By the Time You Read This I’ll Be Dead- Julie Anne Peters
48. The Revealers- Doug Wilhelm
49. *The Sonnet Lover- Carol Goodman (reread)
50. Witch Child- Ceila Rees
51. Olive’s Ocean- Kevin Henkes
52. If I Stay- Gayle Foreman
53. The Gospel According to Larry- Janet Tashjan
54. An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793- Jim Murphy
55. Keeping the Moon- Sarah Dessen
56. Shadow Club Rising- Neal Shusterman
57. Once Was Lost- Sarah Zarr
58. So B. It- Sarah Weeks
59. *The Broken Teaglass- Emily Arsenault
60. Stargirl- Jerry Spinelli (CD)
61. *This Book Is Overdue: How Librarians and Cyberarians Will Save Us- Marilyn Johnson
62. How To Survive Middle School- Donna Gephart
63. *The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society- Mary Anne Shaffer and Annie Barrows
64. The Witch of Blackbird Pond- Elizabeth George Speare
65. A Crooked Kind of Perfect- Linda Urban
66. Smile (graphic novel)-Raina Telgemeier
67. Woods Runner-Gary Paulsen
68. Notes from the Dog- Gary Paulsen
69. Eli the Good- Silas House
70. *The Crucible-Arthur Miller (reread in prep for teaching)
71. The Kind of Friends We Used to Be- Frances O’Roark Dowell
72. Numbering All the Bones- Ann Rinaldi
73. *Awakening the Heart: Exploring Poetry in Elementary and Middle School- Georgia Heard
74. The Skin I’m In- Sharon G. Flake
75. *Sorcery in Salem (Images of America)- John Hardy Wright
76. A Break with Charity: A Story About the Salem Witch Trials- Ann Rinaldi
77. Nothing But the Truth- Avi
78. Along for the Ride- Sarah Dessen
79. Willow- Julia Hoban
80. Fever, 1793- Laurie Halse Anderson
81. Shooting the Moon- Frances O’Roark Dowell
82. Soldier’s Heart- Gary Paulsen
83. Word After Word After Word- Patricia MacLachlan
84. Across Five Aprils- Irene Hunt
85. Borrowed Names- Jeannie Atkins
86. The Dreamer- Pam Munoz Ryan and Peter Sis
87. Things Not Seen- Andrew Clements
88. When Zachary Beaver Came to Town- Stephanie Willis Holt
89. Bird Lake Moon (CD)- Kevin Henkes
90. Queen Bee (graphic novel)- Chynna Clugston
91. Heatbeat- Sharon Creech
92. *The Last Days of Dogtown- Anita Diamant
93. Crossing Stones- Helen Frost
94. Tuck Everlasting- Natalie Babbit
95. Word Nerd- Susin Nielsen
96. Gunnerkrigg Court Volume 1: Orientation (graphic novel)- Thomas Siddell
97. The Braid- Helen Frost
98. Home of the Brave- Katherine Applegate
99. Bull Run- Paul Fleischman
100. The Last Safe House- Barbara Greenwood, Heather Collins
101. Things Hoped For- Andrew Clements
102. This Lullaby- Sarah Dessen
103. Gunnerkrigg Court Volume 2: Research (graphic novel)- Thomas Siddell
104. Keesha’s House- Helen Frost
105. Peace, Locomotion- Jacqueline Woodson
106. The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin- Josh Burk
107. The Battle of Jericho- Sharon M. Draper
108. Taken- Edward Bloor
109. Night John- Gary Paulsen
110. Gone From These Woods- Donny Bailey Seagraves
111. Frenchtown Summer- Robert Cormier
112. Absolutely Normal Chaos- Sharon Creech
113. Whirligig- Paul Fleishman
114. *Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café- Fannie Flagg
115. The Misfits- James Howe
116. *That Old Cape Magic- Richard Russo
117. *The Hungary Ocean- Linda Greenlaw
118. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane- Kate DiCamillo
119. Red Kayak- Priscilla Cummings
120. Dog Loves Books- Louise Yates
121. Library Mouse: A Friend’s Tale- Daniel Kirk
122. Library Mouse- Daniel Kirk
123. Wicked Girls- Stephanie Hemphill
124. The Journey That Saved Curious George- Louise Borden
125. Whiteblack the Penguin Sees the World- Margaret and H.A. Rey
126. Diamon Willow- Helen Frost
127. Graceling- Kristin Cashore
128. Shakespeare Bats Cleanup- Ron Koertge
129. Shakespeare Makes the Playoffs- Ron Koertge
130. Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith- Deborah Heiligman
131. The Girls- Amy Goldman Koss
132. The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg- Rodman Philbrick
133. Mockingjay- Suzanne Collins
134. The Hard Kind of Promise- Gina Willner-Pardo
135. A Fine White Dust (CD)- Cynthia Rylant
136. Down the Rabbit Hole- Peter Abrahams
137. *Fahrenheit 451- Ray Bradbury
138. Bink and Gollie- Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee
139. Mirror, Mirror: A book of Reverse Verse- Marilyn Singer
140. Sugar and Ice- Kate Messner
     
141. Skeleton Man- Joseph Bruchac
142. Twenty Boy Summer- Sarah Ockler
143. Finnikin of the Rock- Melina Marchetta
144. Wings- Aprilynne Pike
145. 13 Reasons Why- Jay Asher
146. Redwall: The Graphic Novel- Brian Jacques; Illus. Bret Blevins
147. Jumping off Swings- Jo Knowles
148. Need- Carrie Jones
149. Spells- Aprilynn Pike
150. Shiver- Maggie Stiefvater
151. *Black Swan Rising- Lee Carroll
152. Mockingbird- Kathryn Erskine
153. The Forest of Hands and Teeth- Carrie Ryan
154. Songs for a Teenage Nomad- Kim Culbertson
155. Hostage- Willo Davis Roberts
156. Another Faust- Daniel and Dina Nayeri
157. God Went to Beauty School- Cynthia Rylant
158. Quaking- Katherine Erskine
159. Forge- Laurie Halse Anderson
160. Storm Mountain- Tom Birdseye
161. Stolen- Lucy Christopher
162. Ways to Live Forever- Sally Nicholls
163. Revolution- Jennifer Donnelly
164. Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons- Ann Rinaldi
165. A Tale Dark and Grimm- Adam Gidwitz
166. Monsters of Men- Patrick Ness
167. *The Wonder of It All- Left Coast Design
168. Laika (graphic novel)- Nick Abadais
169. Out of My Mind- Sharon M. Draper

Also Currently Reading

The Greatest Catch: A Life in Teaching by Penny Kittle




Oh how I wish I had known that Penny Kittle was in North Conway when I was living in Wolfeboro. ( I also wish I had known Ralph Fletcher was in the Dover area when I was teaching in Barrington!) I'm only through the introduction, but I'm already encouraged and re-inspired as a teacher. I love the parallels Penny is drawing between fishing and teaching. They are spot on. I can't wait to get further into this book. It's not just a feel good about your calling book, either. Penny has included Craft Notes that demonstrate how she composed her essays so that the reader can use the same strategies for their classroom life.



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Currently Reading

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen




Yes, I made it through high school and college never having read this. So I'm trying to read it now. Kelly Fineman is doing a chapter by chapter review of it and I'm eager to see what she has to say because after the first five chapters I'm not all that impressed. I am not going to give up on it, yet. I do hope that the story moves beyond discussions of how many single young men there are and who they are calling on, how many times Mr. Bingly danced with each single lady, and what a jerk Mr. Darcy is.



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Book-A-Day # 9

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This was a very moving story. I read it in one night. It is definitely a book worth reading and having young people read it. I loved Melody's character and voice. This story gave me a good perspective on how special needs kids are perceived and the struggle that is their everyday life.





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