tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26719239724703584602024-03-14T10:59:49.877-04:00Mrs. Williams ReadsMusings About Books and TeachingChristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-77309958664992824282020-05-04T14:28:00.002-04:002020-05-04T14:28:47.583-04:00QuarantineI have a slice of life poem today. I would love to see a day of your quarantine life in the comments!<br />
<u><br /></u>
<u>Quarantine</u><br />
<br />
The days run together<br />
Is is Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday?<br />
I know the weekend because dad is home<br />
We are all home<br />
together.<br />
<br />
Otherwise,<br />
it is me and my son.<br />
<br />
Reading, legos, playing tag in the yard.<br />
Too much screen time<br />
for him<br />
<br />
while I zoom<br />
and email<br />
and chat<br />
and plan<br />
for my students.<br />
<br />
Then,<br />
bike rides, hikes, climbing trees.<br />
<br />
Lunch<br />
<br />
Soccer, baseball, golf in the yard.<br />
<br />
Then,<br />
quiet time for him and<br />
more work for me.<br />
<br />
Finish my zooms,<br />
and emails,<br />
and chats,<br />
and plans<br />
for my students.<br />
<br />
Quiet time is over now.<br />
More reading, drawing, cars and trucks.<br />
<br />
And finally, Dad is home!<br />
<br />
Someone to give a me a breather.<br />
More family time, walks, bike rides.<br />
dinner.<br />
<br />
Bed time for him.<br />
<br />
Quiet time for us.<br />
<br />
Bed time for all.<br />
<br />
We'll do it again tomorrow.<br />
<br />
<br />Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-24996537354533850792020-05-04T10:14:00.001-04:002020-05-04T10:14:32.839-04:00Starting AgainHi there! Welcome to my 5th grade classroom blog. I started this blog long ago - 2013 to be exact. I posted occasionally for a couple of years and then stopped in 2015. Not a coincidence that I started a family at that exact time. I'm dusting off this blog for a class I am currently taking, and I think it might be a great way to share some of the books I am reading, as well as some of my favorite books, as we are in the middle of distance learning due to COVID-19. <br />
<br />
On this page, you can find recommendations to many books that are perfect for 5th graders. You might also find some Slice of Life writing that I hope inspires you to write at home too. I would love to hear what you think about these books in the comments! And I would love suggestions about what to read next! Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-65819104747010240962015-05-31T20:29:00.000-04:002015-05-31T20:34:08.574-04:00Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry FarmerI finished my first Summer Book-a-Day today! I read <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer</span> by Kelly Jones.<br />
<br />
<img alt="Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer" height="141" id="coverImage" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1404420425l/22639675.jpg" style="max-width: 762px;" width="97" /><br />
<br />
This book definitely has one of the strangest titles I've ever seen,
but it is such a good story! When I first started reading it, I assumed
it was realistic fiction...but it's not! It has a tiny bit of fantasy -
so I think it would be considered Magical Realism. Kind of like <span style="text-decoration: underline;">All the Answers</span> by Kate Messner or <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Bigger Than A Breadbox</span> by Laurel Snyder.<br />
<br />
In the story, Sophie and her mom and dad have just moved to the
country from Los Angeles. They inherited her great uncle's farm - but
none of them know ANYTHING about farming. While her mom is busy writing
magazine articles and her dad is looking for a job, Sophie begins to
explore the farm. Tucked away behind some piles of junk, she finds her
first "unusual chicken". Throw in a few more unusual chickens, a
chicken thief, and mysterious letters and tips from a chicken expert -
and you have a great book!<br />
<br />
I loved Sophie and her enthusiasm for trying and learning new things! I like how the entire story is told in letters. Sophie is feeling lonely in this new place, so she writes to her grandmother, who has passed away, to tell her all about what is going on in her new life. She also writes to her great-uncle to tell him what is happening on the farm - and ask him questions - even though she knows she won't get a response. And she writes to Agnes - who is supposedly the expert on "unusual chickens". This is a great book for kids who like to read books with unusual and interesting formats - and the illustrations are hilarious too!<br />
<br />
I will definitely be getting a copy of this for my classroom next fall - I think book clubs would have a good time trying to figure out what is going on!<br />
<br />
My current read is <span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher</span> by Dana Alison Levy. What are you reading?Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-12314159011066851252015-01-12T06:00:00.000-05:002015-01-12T06:00:05.550-05:00How to Outswim a Shark Without a Snorkel<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Happy Monday! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I'm super excited to be hosting my first guest post today - the awesome Jess Keating, author of two books that fit perfectly in my 5th grade classroom library!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I first "met" Jess via Twitter when I was reading <u>How to Outrun a Crocodile When Your Shoes Are Untied</u>. I was enjoying an awesome summer day on my patio...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">wait, let's just remember that for a second...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YdOTfNvgRmsgb4z4O39BN4ZfvFRrtABOFhGomVDY_TTZrfHqy_RiR7wVKsKGL_LMOHFTie3HVc24jWfS_kOrpg1XwwEzzpRbdi6IvjvgU-xW6xNJb_VE63QmI3aSpNycyMtao5-J2Sg/s1600/croc1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YdOTfNvgRmsgb4z4O39BN4ZfvFRrtABOFhGomVDY_TTZrfHqy_RiR7wVKsKGL_LMOHFTie3HVc24jWfS_kOrpg1XwwEzzpRbdi6IvjvgU-xW6xNJb_VE63QmI3aSpNycyMtao5-J2Sg/s1600/croc1.jpg" height="320" width="233" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Ahhh summer...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I tweeted out the picture and Jess tweeted back right away. One thing I love about her is how she loves to chat on twitter with people who are reading her books (or reading any books, really!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I was glad to see that her next book was coming out soon...none of this waiting an entire year for a sequel business. I was so excited to get an ARC of <u>How to Outswim a Shark Without a Snorkel</u> - which is why we are here today.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipw7V7j2Rs88F2UAwz0PtNu0NFmHdGMYeReHCz0toCXlhRAUc_DKjisYsr2SIdnwSLBVIx3gyfKW6QiN54FF0a1kfHGu3N5jR54lQT-Z8WkJ45U3sGK6tp4XelNupJBRsfaApTEe38ltg/s1600/shark1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipw7V7j2Rs88F2UAwz0PtNu0NFmHdGMYeReHCz0toCXlhRAUc_DKjisYsr2SIdnwSLBVIx3gyfKW6QiN54FF0a1kfHGu3N5jR54lQT-Z8WkJ45U3sGK6tp4XelNupJBRsfaApTEe38ltg/s1600/shark1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Hmmmm not quite the same vibe as the first pic, but cozy nonetheless...</div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><u>How to Outswim a Shark Without a Snorkel</u> takes place right after the first book. Ana is still Ana - she is just so relatable to kids this age. All the same worries and fears that I see in kids every day - trying to fit in, while also staying true to who she is. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Another thing I love about Jess is that she weaves science into her books so seamlessly...readers learn a lot about zoos and animals when reading her books. They are a great mentor text for kids who want to infuse facts into their fiction writing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Being a classroom teacher, I was thrilled to see that Jess decided to give kids some writing tips today...I can't wait to share these with my fifth graders! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Enjoy Jess's post and don't forget to check out her other amazing posts from the last week!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfKg3a1W3DEdSYvza18qzVCl8gcs0dKrFMj8d2D9Yjbzq1C5iON0clJwdyJceaiiQzRgipcKQ25E6xYKSdRtmKfd2aAR72XnL_IiBn-GmkIihWBpVm3lEAUle3VnMeAGk6XdpvMFcAi9A/s1600/sharktour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfKg3a1W3DEdSYvza18qzVCl8gcs0dKrFMj8d2D9Yjbzq1C5iON0clJwdyJceaiiQzRgipcKQ25E6xYKSdRtmKfd2aAR72XnL_IiBn-GmkIihWBpVm3lEAUle3VnMeAGk6XdpvMFcAi9A/s1600/sharktour.jpg" height="281" width="400" /></a></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">My Top Five
No-Fail Writing Tips for Young Writers</span></u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Hey, my cheeky monkeys!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I'm so thrilled to be chilling
at Christina's blog today to celebrate the release of my latest book!
(Sidenote: you should read it! It's funny and has wetsuits and sharks in it!) But
today, I wanted to switch things up and chat about being a young writer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">When I was in school, I always
wanted to be a writer. I collected notebooks, I scribbled stories in the
margins of my schoolwork, and I read a zillion books. But I never <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">felt </i>like a writer. Surely the people
who wrote books—actual <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">books </i>that I
could find on my shelves—had some super secret power or talent that I didn’t
know about. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I'm going to share something I
didn't realize back then. Do you want to know what makes you a writer? It isn't
having the right notebook, or getting an A in English class, or even those
funky pens that with the feather on the end. Being a writer is much simpler
than that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">All you have to do to be a
writer is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">write</i>. That's it! But
sometimes writing is hard. And instead of tapping away happily at your
masterpiece, you're left staring at your words thinking they're nothing more
than a giant pile of word-garbage that smells worse than last night's dinner
you forgot to put in the fridge. So I wanted to share some tips for young
writers, for all the kids out there who <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">want
</i>to write, but have no idea where to start. Still with me? Let's do this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">#5. Pretend you've got a time
turner. (You know, one of those gizmos from Harry Potter that lets you go back
in time.) You don't always need to write about fantastically crazy
things—sometimes real life is the best inspiration. Use your time turner to go
back in time, and rewrite a scene from your own life. You can even pick
something that went <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">horribly</i>. Rewrite
it to make something great happen! Your own experience will always prompt the
best stories.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">#4. If you can't think of a
character, borrow someone else's! When you're trying to get your story going,
it can be very easy to get overwhelmed. There are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">so </i>many decisions to make! Who is your main character? Where is the
story set? What's the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">point </i>of this,
anyway? One way to break away from the clutter in your brain is to borrow a
character you already love, and write a new story for them. Do you love
Hermione? Pluck her from the air and give her a new story. What if Hermione
opened an animal shelter? Or what if Katniss discovered a fire-breathing
dragon? When you take a character you already know and put them in a new
situation, your imagination sets fire and sends you all sorts of ideas. Roll
with it! Before you know it, you will be scribbling madly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">#3. Break the rules. I know.
Some rules are important. "Don't eat yellow snow" is a rule I will <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">always </i>follow. But when it comes to
writing, you are free to break <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">any </i>rule
you want. All that matters is that you're <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">writing</i>!
You can always go back later and rewrite what doesn't work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">#2. Build a 'Thought Spot'. What
exactly <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is </i>that, you ask? It's a spot
to keep your thoughts! This is a handy trick for anyone who gets bummed because
they can't decide what to write about first because they have SO MANY ideas.
When your family is finished eating all the pickles, clean out the jar and grab
yourself some paper. Then, I want you to list <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">every single thing </i>you think is cool. I mean it! EVERYTHING. For
example, my jar would have stuff like, "pizza", "blobfish",
"the smell of books", "oak trees", "sharks",
"key lime pie", "the sound of tap-dancing shoes", "dodo
bird bones" and "magical potions".</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cut them out so it's one thought per piece of
paper and stuff them into your jar. When you want to write, grab <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">three </i>thoughts from the jar. Now your
job isn't to write about a million things—it's just to write about those three.
Think up a way to use all three together. You'd be surprised how quickly you
think of a way to incorporate your three cool things into a story!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">#1. Make mistakes! I know.
Mistakes are no fun. When I was a kid, I used to think that writers sat down at
their notebooks and cranked out wonderful books, just like that. I thought they
started on page one, wrote their story, then happily typed "The End".
The whole thing seemed so simple! But I'm here to tell you that writing is ALL
about making mistakes. Sometimes I spend a whole week writing something that I
will end up not using. But words are magical things—sometimes the wrong words
can lead you to the right ones, without you knowing it right away! I promise
you, the more mistakes you make, the more 'right' ideas you will find!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Do you have any writing tips
for students? Leave them in the comments! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Thank you so much for having
me, Christina! </span></div>
Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-46722873892310476782014-06-16T16:09:00.000-04:002014-06-16T16:09:00.060-04:00It's Monday!<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I'm joining </span><a href="http://www.teachmentortexts.com/" style="color: #4d469c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Teach Mentor Texts</span></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> and </span><a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" style="color: #4d469c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Unleashing Readers</span></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> in sharing my reading this week. Head on over to their blogs to see what others are reading and link up your own post!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I really LOVED all of the books I read this week. Whereas last week was all Middle Grade, this week I read a wide variety of books. I'm just now noticing it was mostly adult...that's quite an anomaly for me! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I finished Spirit's Key and loved it! I'm a MAJOR dog person, so that probably had something to do with it. This doesn't come out until September, but it will make a great addition to the fantasy section of my classroom library. I'll write more about it at a later date.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Absolutely Almost" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1385355766l/18225037.jpg" width="127" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Lisa Graff's books have been really popular in my classroom. I went out and bought this one right away because she's just an author I know the kids will read. I really love her book <u>Umbrella Summer,</u> but this one is even better. Albie is a kid you will root for from page one. Would be a great book to read along with Wonder or Out of My Mind. It might be a read aloud for me this year.</span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Young Adult</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Lola and the Boy Next Door (Anna and the French Kiss, #2)" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1362160479l/16101168.jpg" width="133" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I read Anna and the French Kiss just a couple weeks ago and I enjoyed this one just as much. And it made me want to visit San Francisco ASAP. I really enjoy companion books. I liked seeing what was up with Anna and St. Clair as I learned about Lola and Cricket. Looking forward to the last in this series coming out soon.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Adult</u></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I assumed this was a YA book since it is written by Rainbow Rowell, but it's not. It's still awesome though. Lincoln is a down and out kind of guy, very much in limbo about what to do with his life. He gets a job as IT support for a newspaper and one of his jobs is to read inter-company email that gets flagged for being inappropriate for work. As he reads, he gets caught up in the conversations of Beth and Jennifer, whom he never turns in, and keeps reading their emails for months. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1396839734l/18293427.jpg" width="135" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a story set in a bookshop on an island. Sign me up! This is my favorite setting for a book! A.J. is in a downward spiral after he unexpectedly loses his wife. In the midst of all this, the most unusual thing shows up in his shop one day. This is all I can say. Read it, it's amazing!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="The Winter People" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1377582922l/18007535.jpg" width="131" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I haven't read a good ghost story for a long time and this one was fantastic. Definitely creepy enough that I didn't want to get the laundry out of my closet - and it was the middle of the day!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="The Matchmaker" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1395694896l/18656006.jpg" width="129" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I read Elin Hilderbrand's new book every summer...island living at its best. I'm sensing that I need to visit an island sometime soon...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I just realized that I gave each book on this list 5 STARS on Goodreads! Definitely a great reading week! </span></div>
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Hazel loves mysteries. She carries around her Mysteries Notebook much like Harriet the Spy carried her notebook. It's the beginning of the Cold War and suspicions are swirling about Communists around town. Just as the accusations start flying, a mysterious man comes to work as a gravedigger for Hazel's parents. As she starts spying on him, Hazel becomes convinced that Mr. Jones is a Russian spy. </div>
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There's also Samuel Butler, a new boy in town with a secretive past. Hazel has always been known as the smartest (a fact that she says was "widely acknowledged by the whole fifth grade"). So she is threatened at first by Samuel. But then they realize that their natural curiosities benefit each other and they team up to find out what exactly is happening in Maple Hill. </div>
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I think this is a historical fiction book that my fifth graders can really relate to. Hazel is perfection...I love her voice in this book. She knows who she is and what she wants. She can be a little (a lot) snarky at times. She wants to bust out of this small town and see the world. I highlighted tons of passages that I thought were perfectly written to show how Hazel was feeling at the time: </div>
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Some were funny - </div>
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<b>"She liked to make a well in her potatoes and fill it with gravy, then float her peas in it, but her mother said that was uncouth, which was another way of saying no."</b></div>
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Some were good advice - </div>
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<b>"Don't go down that road, Hazel, comparing yourself to others. You'll only end up driving yourself crazy."</b></div>
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<b>"The only problem was, whenever someone told her not to go down a road, she couldn't help but find herself sprinting ahead." </b></div>
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Some were serious - </div>
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<b>"What if the whole country, the whole world, was just like Maple Hill, over and over again?"</b></div>
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I think that the author, Megan Frazer Blakemore, did a great job weaving history into this book without making it too heavy. It would be a great introduction into this time period, which I admit, I have trouble wrapping my head around sometimes since it is not written about as much. It would be a great book to read along with <u>Countdown</u> by Deborah Wiles.</div>
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I received this book via Netgalley, but I definitely plan on purchasing a copy for my classroom. Have you read <u>The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill</u>? I'd love to hear what you think!</div>
Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-15048826401215344142014-06-10T11:43:00.000-04:002014-06-10T11:43:23.573-04:00How to Outrun a Crocodile When Your Shoes Are Untied<u>How to Outrun a Crocodile When Your Shoes Are Untied </u>(also known as the book title that will take up nearly all of your 140 characters on Twitter) is a brand new book by Jess Keating. After I started hearing some buzz about this book on Twitter, I started following the author. And I found out that she is hilarious and so very kind! Based on that alone, I popped out to the bookstore to grab her book and I was not disappointed! And I had a perfect day to spend on my patio reading it cover to cover.<br />
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And see there...she responded right away!</div>
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Ana, named after an Anaconda, is having a rough end to the school year. Her best friend has just moved away (to New Zealand of all places). She's dealing with final tests at school, a crush on a boy named Zack, and "The Sneerers". And to top it all off, her famous grandfather has just arrived (surprise!) and her parents are moving the family into a zoo for the summer. </div>
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I loved this book for many reasons, but most of all because the author hits the nail on the head when describing the feelings of a 12 year-old-girl. I am sure that nearly all of my fifth graders will be able to relate to her and I am so excited to share this book with them in the fall. </div>
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Another thing I love about this book is that Ana keeps lists of things that puzzle her. For example:</div>
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- Strange Things About Girls That I Will Never Understand, Despite Being One</div>
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- Top Motherly Tricks: A Marvel of Science or Black Magic?</div>
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Ana is really hilarious and I cared for her right from the start. I can't wait to read the next book in the series, <u>How to Outswim a Shark Without a Snorkel</u>, which will hopefully come out early next year!</div>
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Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-29013662329641616542014-06-09T14:05:00.000-04:002014-06-09T14:05:20.329-04:00It's Monday! What Are You Reading?<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I'm joining </span><a href="http://www.teachmentortexts.com/" style="color: #4d469c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Teach Mentor Texts</span></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> and </span><a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" style="color: #4d469c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Unleashing Readers</span></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> in sharing my reading this week. Head on over to their blogs to see what others are reading and link up your own post!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Happy Monday! It has been a wonderful first full week out of school! Here's what my week of reading looked like...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I loved this new novel by Amber McRee Turner! The premise is so different...Circa's mom is a photographer and her dad works to restore old photographs. They have a family tradition called "Shopt" where they Photoshop old photos and add new details to them. This was based on a fun activity from the author's own family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <img alt="How to Outrun a Crocodile When Your Shoes Are Untied" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1387748388l/18509680.jpg" width="129" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I bought this book just because the author, Jess Keating is so personable and kind on Twitter. I love supporting debut authors whenever I can and I am already looking forward to her next book!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am not much of a graphic novel reader, but I like to keep up to date on them so I can share them with my class. One of the grade-levels I will be working with in the fall is interested in doing a graphic novel unit, and I think Bird & Squirrel will be a great addition. I loved how opposite the two characters were and I loved the enthusiasm of Bird, though I am much more like Squirrel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I loved the illustrations in this book. It reminded me of my senior year of high school when I read <u>The Little Prince</u> in French. I can't even imagine how I did that back then because I can't speak a word of it now. It was interesting to see how <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.31999969482422px; text-align: left;">Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's life was reflected in his writing. </span></span></div>
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<img alt="Spirit's Key" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1390179886l/20518878.jpg" width="132" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm also nearly finished reading <u>Spirit's Key</u> by Edith Cohn, which comes out in September. I am loving it so far...it's very different from any other book I've read!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Have you read any of these books? I'd love to know what you think!</span></div>
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-31S4x0H5Lzs%2FUcZ4hKabgOI%2FAAAAAAAAFeU%2Fovdom1uRi4c%2Fs200%2FIMWAYR.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-31S4x0H5Lzs/UcZ4hKabgOI/AAAAAAAAFeU/ovdom1uRi4c/s200/IMWAYR.jpg" -->Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-58005061352335948942014-06-03T08:00:00.000-04:002014-06-03T08:00:01.933-04:00The Secret Hum of a DaisyGrace is a girl without a place in the world. She has spent her life moving throughout the state of California with her mother. A new town every few months. She is a professional "new girl" at school. She finally thinks she and her mother have found their perfect spot, living with Mrs. Greene and Lacey, when the unthinkable happens.<br />
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Now Grace is living with a grandmother she has never met, in a town she never heard her mother speak of. She begins to meet people who knew her mother and her father, and she learns more about her past in a few weeks than she had known in her entire life. <br />
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As Grace gets to know the town, she begins to find clues. Clues that remind her of a game, a treasure hunt, her mother used to send her on when they moved to a new place. As Grace tracks the clues, she begins to think that they were left by her mother and that they will tell her what to do.<br />
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Grace is one of those characters that I just want to pick up and take home with me. She is creative and loving, but she is not going to give herself up too easily. She feels lost and betrayed by some of those closest to her. I also love her new friend Jo and her brother Max. All of the secondary characters in this book are so perfectly written.<br />
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I feel like there have been a lot of books lately where the girl is dealing with the loss of her mother. <u>Revolution</u> and <u>Sure Signs of Crazy</u> are two I have read recently. All three of these are totally different types of situations, but I feel like Grace, Sunny, and Sarah would be great friends.<br />
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Have you read <u>The Secret Hum of a Daisy</u> by Tracy Holczer? I'd love to hear what you think!<br />
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Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-61025232219727807272014-06-02T15:17:00.001-04:002014-06-02T15:19:51.296-04:00It's Monday!<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I'm joining </span><a href="http://www.teachmentortexts.com/" style="color: #4d469c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Teach Mentor Texts</span></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> and </span><a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" style="color: #4d469c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Unleashing Readers</span></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> in sharing my reading this week. Head on over to their blogs to see what others are reading and link up your own post!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">It's my first Monday of summer break! I'm excited to get back into the blogging groove. I started this blog last summer, but most of my school year posts came during breaks from school. I've had a great start to my summer reading, I was in a bit of a slump at the end of the year, but that's pretty normal. It's a busy time! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">Here's what I've read in the past week:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Paul Meets Bernadette" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1367256782l/17620991.jpg" width="165" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This was a cute book about opening your mind to new things and using your imagination. Sometimes you need to meet someone who gives you an extra push.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Extraordinary Jane" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1372037980l/15937111.jpg" width="163" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I love a great dog character! This would be a great book to use when talking about accepting yourself the way you are and growing into your own skin.</span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Middle Grade</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All of these books were amazing!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Revolution" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1389053622l/18527498.jpg" width="132" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you loved <u>Countdown</u>, you've got to read this new one by Deborah Wiles. I reviewed it <a href="http://mrswilliamsreads.blogspot.com/2014/06/revolution.html"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Grace is an awesome character. I've been so impressed with all the main characters I've read recently. I've got a review scheduled for tomorrow for this book.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1389414506l/18594432.jpg" width="132" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Another awesome main character. This would also pair well with <u>Countdown</u> by Deborah Wiles. I think it is a tricky time in history for middle grade readers to understand, but Megan Frazer Blakemore does a good job making it accessible to kids and showing the fear that people were feeling in the early days of the Cold War with Russia. Plus Hazel is hilarious.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Anna and the French Kiss (Anna and the French Kiss, #1)" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358271931l/6936382.jpg" width="129" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This was the first Stephanie Perkins book I've read and I've already requested the other two books in this series at the library. I love books set in Paris!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Have you read any of these books? I'd love to hear what you think!</span></div>
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The summer of 1964 is a turning point of the Civil Rights Movement. Freedom Summer. For 12 year old Sunny, it is a summer of change and growing into her own skin and deciding what kind of person she is going to be. </div>
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It starts with a chance encounter in the community pool in the middle of a summer night. Then come the "Invaders". Then her beloved pool is closed down. There is picketing in the street. There is a new girl from the North who reminds her of her mother. And through it all, she encounters the boy from the pool over and over again. Without even knowing him, she becomes more and more curious and confused about what is happening in her town. </div>
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One thing I loved most about this book was Sunny's voice. I loved everything about her. She was slightly mischievous but her heart was in the right place. She is haunted by the disappearance of her mother when she was a baby. She is trying to figure out where she fits in with her new step-family. She's trying to understand what has happened to her town.</div>
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This would be a perfect book for anyone who has enjoyed <u>The Lions of Little Rock</u> by Kristin Levine or <u>Glory Be</u> by Augusta Scattergood.</div>
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I don't know what the topic of the third book in this trilogy will be, but I will certainly be ready to read it! </div>
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Have you read Revolution? I'd love to know what you think!</div>
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Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-10634628394322785322014-05-31T13:14:00.000-04:002014-05-31T13:34:39.532-04:005th Grade Must Reads 2014We've just finished another school year here in Ohio...and what better way to begin a summer than with a list of books that 5th graders say you "Must Read"! I had my class make a bulletin board of books for two reasons: to give classmates ideas on books to add to their summer to-read piles, and so that my incoming 5th graders next year have some great ideas to start the year with.<br />
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Here is what my class came up with...<br />
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A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park<br />
One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt<br />
Star Wars Jedi Academy by Jeffrey Brown<br />
The Babysitter's Club Series by Ann M. Martin<br />
Frozen: The Junior Novelization Adapted by Sarah Nathan<br />
Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu<br />
Turtle in Paradise by Jenni Holm<br />
Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix<br />
Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling<br />
Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliet<br />
Bigger than a Breadbox by Laurel Snyder<br />
Spy School by Stuart Gibbs<br />
Spider Boy by Ralph Fletcher<br />
A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz<br />
In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz<br />
A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd<br />
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein<br />
Mallory on the Move by Laurie B. Friedman<br />
Wonder by R.J. Palacio<br />
The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan<br />
Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo<br />
The Power of Poppy Pendle by Natasha Lowe<br />
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan<br />
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins<br />
Out of my Mind by Sharon Draper<br />
A Whole Nother Story by Cuthbert Soup<br />
Umbrella Summer by Lisa Graff<br />
The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau<br />
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That is quite a list! Have you read any of these books? I'd love to hear what you think!<br />
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And also...HANNAH...thanks for making the first comment from our class :) I hope to hear more from you!<br />
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<br />Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-84992287056471246642014-05-12T07:00:00.000-04:002014-05-13T17:47:52.090-04:00We Were Liars<div style="text-align: left;">
Thoughts about <u>We Were Liars</u> by E. Lockhart have been floating around Twitter for a couple weeks now. I was happy to receive an ARC through NetGalley so I could read it and join in the discussion!</div>
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I can't say too much about this book, otherwise I will have to lie. It has all the makings of the perfect summer read: island getaway, too rich kids with lots of time on their hands, a family so perfect it's hard to believe.</div>
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And then an accident. A big secret. What really happened? Is anyone really sure? Be careful who you believe...</div>
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I love it when a book skirts around the edge of something big. I love it when I am never quite sure what's going on. When it seems that something is missing and I just quite don't have all the information. <u>We Were Liars</u> definitely fits the bill. Or does it? I might be lying...</div>
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Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-41230798018398372732014-04-02T12:47:00.001-04:002014-04-02T13:10:28.352-04:00Update: Must Read in 2014It's been fun spending time with a "Must Read" list this year. I put 15 books on my list - ranging from middle grade to YA to adult, fiction to nonfiction. As of today, I have read 6 of my 15 books. You can see my original list <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://mrswilliamsreads.blogspot.com/2014/01/must-read-in-2014.html">here</a></span>. Below are the books I have read and a few thoughts about each!<br />
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I LOVED this book...I have a review set to post in May when it comes out. It's hard to talk about it without giving too much away. A great summer read!<br />
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<img alt="The Shadow Throne (The Ascendance Trilogy, #3)" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1371105965l/17667561.jpg" width="132" /></div>
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The final book in the series. It is a definite must-read if you have read the first two books.<br />
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I was excited to have just finished reading this book when the Newbery announcements came out in January. This was the first year that I had actually read all of the awarded books before they were announced! I think the way this book was written makes it more accessible to upper middle grade readers, maybe 6th or 7th grades. I haven't been able to get any of my 5th graders to read it yet.<br />
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FINALLY! I have been wanting to read Cinder for quite some time, so I put it on my MUST list. I loved that it was a totally different type of dystopian novel. Cyborgs are actually pretty interesting to read about!<br />
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When I looked through my Goodreads list for books to add to this list, I was surprised that I still hadn't read this one. What a powerful story. I think it is a must-read for any teenager. I read this one along with <u>The Impossible Knife of Memory</u>. Another book to put on YOUR must-read list if you haven't read it yet!<br />
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I loved <u>Endangered</u>, so <u>Threatened</u> was a definite must read for me. <u>Threatened</u> is a stand alone, not connected to Endangered in any way. After reading both books, I was so amazed at the human characteristics that the bonobos and chimpanzees exhibit. By the end of each book, you feel for them just as much as you feel for the humans. Powerful stuff. I will automatically read anything Eliot Schrefer writes in the future.<br />
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All told, I have read 43 books this year, including picture books to my 5th graders. Here are a couple that I see as must-reads for everyone:</div>
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<img alt="The Night Gardener" height="200" id="coverImage" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1380754621l/18405537.jpg" width="135" /> </div>
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I reviewed this one <a href="http://mrswilliamsreads.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-night-gardener.html">here</a>. </div>
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I thought this was adorable: Poppy hates magic and her parents (who are non-magic) are obsessed with it.<br />
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Natalie Lloyd was kind enough to send my class signed bookmarks!<br />
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I love anything Snow Queen. I reviewed it <a href="http://mrswilliamsreads.blogspot.com/2014/01/ophelia-and-marvelous-boy.html">here</a>. <br />
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I can't wait to catch up with the other bloggers who are participating in this challenge! I am sure I will add lots of new books to my to-read pile!<br />
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<br />Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-68424088010552390342014-03-26T13:04:00.000-04:002014-03-26T13:04:35.788-04:00The Night Gardener<u>The Night Gardener</u> by Jonathan Auxier has been on my Kindle for awhile, thanks to NetGalley. I LOVE the cover of this book. Even if I hadn't read and enjoyed <u>Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes</u>, I would have picked it up based on the cover alone. When spring break finally arrived, and after I immersed myself in the joy that accompanied leaving cold and dreary Ohio for a few days, it was the first book I pulled up to read as I lazed by the pool.<br />
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Thumps in the night? Check!</div>
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Mysterious spirits? Check!</div>
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Forbidden rooms? Check!</div>
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The perfect ingredients for a DELIGHTFULLY CREEPY story!</div>
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Molly and Kip are surviving without their parents, traveling the countryside in search of work and safety. Molly is hired to work as a servant at the mysterious old Windsor house. As they travel to the house, they are warned several times about staying out of the "Sourwoods" and told to stay away from the house and the people in it. But, work is work, and they move forward. </div>
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Upon arrival, Molly and Kip meet a very welcoming daughter, Penny, a not-so-welcoming Mistress Windsor, and brother Alistair, who has a strange collection of candy with him at all times. As Molly works to improve the state of the house, she can't help but notice things that are out of the ordinary. She sees a portrait, reportedly from the previous summer, showing a glowing and healthy family. However, the people in front of her are pale and withdrawn. There is a mysterious green door in the hall, locked with a large iron bolt, to which the Mistress has supposedly lost the key. And there is a tree outside...a huge, hulking tree that has grown into the house and taken over the land around it. Finally, Molly starts waking up in the night to sounds...strange THUMPS in the night. In the morning, the house is covered with dead leaves. When she wakes one morning with a dead leaf in her hair, she and her brother decide to get to the bottom of things.</div>
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This book is nearly perfect, from the descriptions of the setting, to the characters. It's creepy, but not too creepy (unless you are afraid of the dark...maybe don't read it before bed?) I think it will be a perfect recommendation for kids who loved <u>Doll Bones</u>, <u>Wait Till Helen Comes</u>, and <u>A Tale Dark and Grimm</u>. </div>
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Definitely a perfect addition to any upper grade classroom library! Have you read <u>The Night Gardener</u>? I'd love to hear what you think! </div>
Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-62889764526531558332014-01-28T06:00:00.000-05:002014-01-28T06:00:01.483-05:00Ophelia and the Marvelous BoyIt doesn't take much to get me to read a book. An amazing cover and tweets from Donalyn Miller and Colby Sharp...that will pretty much do it. This is how I came upon <u>Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy </u>by Karen Foxlee. <br />
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As I spent my days indoors during the great "Polar Vortex" of 2014, I happened upon <u>Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy</u> on NetGalley. I had already requested it at the library, but when I thought about waiting until January 28 or popping it onto my Kindle in 10 seconds...well I didn't have to flip a coin.</div>
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Ophelia Jane Worthington-Whittard ranks right up there with my most favorite of characters...Harry Potter, Hazel from <u>Breadcrumbs</u>, Flora from <u>Flora & Ulysses</u>. </div>
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Ophelia has just lost her mother. She is sad and she is lost and her relationship with the rest of her family is different now. She and her sister, Alice, have traveled with their father as he prepares for a great exhibition of swords in a mysterious museum with a mysterious curator. </div>
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As Ophelia spends her time exploring this museum, she comes across a hidden door. When she peers through the keyhole, she finds another eye peering right back at her. Ophelia has discovered the Marvelous Boy, locked away from the world by the Snow Queen. He's been waiting for someone for many years and he thinks that Ophelia is just the person to help him.</div>
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I didn't read any reviews or summaries of this book before starting, so it was a surprise to me that this was another story based on the Snow Queen. If you have read my blog in the past, you will know that <u>Breadcrumbs</u> by Anne Ursu is one of my favorite books of all time. As I read, I was thinking about how awesome it would be to read this with my class, who I have shared <u>Breadcrumbs</u> with. I think we would have fantastic discussions about how both authors incorporated aspects of The Snow Queen. </div>
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So now to figure out if I can squeeze this book into my read aloud schedule...</div>
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Have you read <u>Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy</u>? I'd love to hear what you thought!</div>
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Happy Reading!</div>
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Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-83870538154925644562014-01-06T13:55:00.000-05:002014-01-06T13:55:09.543-05:00It's Monday..What Are You Reading?<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I'm joining </span><a href="http://www.teachmentortexts.com/" style="color: #4d469c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Teach Mentor Texts</span></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> and </span><a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" style="color: #4d469c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Unleashing Readers</span></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> in sharing my reading this week. Head on over to their blogs to see what others are reading and link up your own post!</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the Arctic Blast edition of It's Monday! What Are You Reading? I just received the phone call that school is cancelled again tomorrow due to cold temps...more time for hot tea, books, and a little Netflix! Though I am getting a little anxious to get back into a routine. I even had an email from a student today, sad that we were out of school.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's what I read last week...</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">YA Books</span></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="We Were Liars" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1384302412l/16143347.jpg" width="131" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>We Were Liars</u> was on my Must Read in 2014 list. It doesn't come out until May, but I happened upon an ARC on NetGalley and devoured it in about 3 hours. I highly recommend it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, #1)" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1388186881l/11235712.jpg" width="132" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Cinder</u> was also on my Must Read in 2014 list. I liked how different it was from the usual dystopian novel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <img alt="Where She Went (If I Stay, #2)" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1347810457l/8492825.jpg" width="133" /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I read <u>If I Stay</u> last week and was happy to get this sequel right away. It was interesting hearing from Adam's point of view. I wasn't into this book too much until the ending (possibly because I just don't get into music that much), but I am really glad I finished it! If you read the first book, you should definitely read this one too.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Picture Books</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love books with illustrations done in unusual mediums. This is a wordless book that I will definitely share with my 5th graders! (When we share wordless books, I place the book next to some chart paper, kids read it when they have time and jot their thoughts. After about a week, we will talk about it as a class.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think I will enjoy sharing this story with my little niece when she is slightly older. Someone is stealing the bedtime stories from all the animals...and they will be surprised to find out who it is and why he's stealing them. </span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reading Plans For This Week</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1373232280l/17910570.jpg" width="132" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I just found <u>Ophelia and The Marvelous Boy </u>on NetGalley, so this one is up first!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy Reading...Stay Warm!</span></div>
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<img alt="Allegiant (Divergent, #3)" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1368111284l/17383918.jpg" width="132" /> <img alt="The Fourteenth Goldfish" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1386092727l/19156898.jpg" width="132" /> <strike><img alt="We Were Liars" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1384302412l/16143347.jpg" width="131" /></strike> </div>
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<span style="color: red;">READ - 4/30/2014</span> <span style="color: red;">READ - 1/2/14</span></div>
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<img alt="The Shadow Throne (The Ascendance Trilogy, #3)" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1371105965l/17667561.jpg" width="132" /> <img alt="Jinx's Magic" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1373660623l/18085456.jpg" width="132" /> <img alt="Paperboy" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1347585298l/15797693.jpg" width="133" /><br />
<span style="color: red;">READ 1/13/2014 READ 1/20/2014</span></div>
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<img alt="Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, #1)" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1388186881l/11235712.jpg" width="132" /> <img alt="The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle, #2)" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1367060081l/17347389.jpg" width="132" /> <img alt="The Art of Fielding" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1328342921l/11583050.jpg" width="129" /></div>
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<span style="color: red;">READ 1/5/2014</span></div>
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<img alt="Outliers: The Story of Success" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1344266315l/3228917.jpg" width="134" /> <img alt="The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer, #1)" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1364084849l/8591107.jpg" width="132" /> <img alt="The Animal Book: A Collection of the Fastest, Fiercest, Toughest, Cleverest, Shyest--and Most Surprising--Animals on Earth" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1358265426l/17165888.jpg" width="156" /></div>
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<img alt="Revolution" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1384949760l/18527498.jpg" width="131" /> <img alt="Speak" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1310121762l/439288.jpg" width="132" /> <img alt="Threatened" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1384382714l/18222541.jpg" width="131" /></div>
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<span style="color: red;">READ 5/31/2014</span> <span style="color: red;">READ 1/11/2014 READ 3/8/2014</span></div>
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As I was looking over my Goodreads to-read list, I realized that this could go on and on forever. So I decided to stop at <strike>12</strike> 15. I've got some middle-grade fiction and a non-fiction, some YA, and an adult fiction and nonfiction. Some old, some new. I'm excited!</div>
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I'm looking forward to watching the progress of everyone else during this challenge. You can follow this challenge on Twitter at #MustReadIn2014.<br />
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Also...<a href="http://thereisabookforthat.com/2014/01/02/mustreadin2014/"><span style="color: blue;">here's a link</span></a> to other participants and their posts! </div>
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Happy Reading!</div>
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**Update - I started this post yesterday...and today I found WE WERE LIARS by E. Lockhart on Netgalley. Three hours later, I can check that book off my list. </div>
Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-82228456673170454072013-12-31T13:41:00.000-05:002013-12-31T13:41:34.707-05:00Top Ten of 2013<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by</span> <a href="http://www.brokeandbookish.com/" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a>. <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Head on over to see more Top Ten lists!</span></div>
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This is the first time I am participating in Top Ten Tuesday, though I have read and enjoyed many of the blog posts in the past. I was going to do a Favorites of 2013 list anyway, so I figured I would link up today!</div>
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My Top Ten of 2013</div>
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<u>Winger</u> by Andrew Smith</div>
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Even though it's hard to pick a TOP book of the year...I think this one does it for me. Any book that can make me laugh and cry and then punch me in the gut is a sure-fire winner!</div>
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<u>Eleanor & Park</u> by Rainbow Rowell</div>
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Two of the best, most memorable characters ever!</div>
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<u>Flora & Ulysses</u> by Kate DiCamillo</div>
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I just love the voice in this book. I reviewed it <a href="http://mrswilliamsreads.blogspot.com/2013/11/flora-ulysses.html"><span style="color: blue;"><span id="goog_1625696792"></span>here</span><span id="goog_1625696793"></span></a>.<br />
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<u>The Real Boy</u> by Anne Ursu<br />
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<img alt="The Real Boy" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1363807793l/17349055.jpg" width="132" /></div>
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While <u>Breadcrumbs</u> is still my favorite, this one was amazing as well. I reviewed it<span style="color: blue;"> <a href="http://mrswilliamsreads.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-real-boy.html">here.</a></span><br />
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<u>The Thing About Luck</u> by Cynthia Kadahota<br />
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This is another book with very memorable characters. I reviewed it <a href="http://mrswilliamsreads.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-thing-about-luck.html">here</a>.</div>
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<u>Where the Stars Still Shine </u>by Trish Doller</div>
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Callie has spent her life running from town to town with her mother who kidnapped her as a child. When she is caught, she is sent to live with the father she barely knew. Callie is one of my favorite characters of the year. </div>
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<u>The Testing</u> by Joelle Charbonneau</div>
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I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series that comes out in January!</div>
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<u>This is What Happy Looks Like</u> by Jennifer E. Smith</div>
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Considering You've Got Mail is one of my favorite movies ever, it's no surprise that I loved this book.</div>
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<u>Counting By 7s</u> by Holly Goldberg Sloan</div>
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I'd love for this book to get some Newbery love in January!</div>
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<u>Jinx</u> by Sage Blackwood</div>
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Looking forward to this sequel, <u>Jinx's Magic</u>, coming out next week!</div>
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Happy Reading!</div>
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Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-84876209518627579082013-12-30T12:42:00.000-05:002013-12-30T12:44:47.102-05:00It's Monday! What Are You Reading?<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I'm joining </span><a href="http://www.teachmentortexts.com/" style="color: #4d469c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Teach Mentor Texts</span></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> and </span><a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" style="color: #4d469c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Unleashing Readers</span></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> in sharing my reading this week. Head on over to their blogs to see what others are reading and link up your own post!</span></span></div>
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I haven't posted an IMWAYR post in quite awhile. But since I am once again attempting a winter break book-a-day, I thought I'd recap my reading so far. I've been in quite a reading rut, I think that between Thanksgiving and winter break, I only read picture books, not one complete novel to be found. Thankfully, having time to travel and rest over the last week has brought me back to my usual reading habits!<br />
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<u>Not a Drop to Drink</u> by Mindy McGinnis</div>
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I gave this book 5 stars on Goodreads. A different take on the usual dystopian novel. Water has become extremely scarce, and therefore, extremely valuable. Lynn and her mother have lived alone for her entire 16 years, their main goal for survival is keeping their water supply safe from others. This is the book that brought me out of my reading rut...it's fantastic! I'm really looking forward to anything this author writes in the future!</div>
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<u>Let It Snow</u> by John Green, Lauren Myracle, and Maureen Johnson</div>
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I think someone recommended this on their blog, so I checked it out as a quick, Christmas-themed, read. It's a collection of 3 short stories that have intertwining characters and events. I enjoyed reading the first story and getting a glimpse of a character, then reading the next two to see how their story fit in with the others. </div>
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<u>If I Stay</u> by Gayle Forman</div>
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<img alt="If I Stay (If I Stay, #1)" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1388416249l/6990472.jpg" width="133" /></div>
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This book starts out with a seemingly perfect-for-each-other family spending an unexpected snow day together. Quickly, things turn to tragedy and Mia is fighting for her life. It kind of reminded me of <u>Before I Fall</u> by Lauren Oliver, which I also loved. There is a sequel to this book, <u>Where She Went</u>, which I have requested at the library and will hopefully be reading soon.</div>
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<u>Absent</u> by Katie Williams</div>
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<img alt="Absent" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1351682062l/15790982.jpg" width="138" /></div>
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I would actually kind-of put this book in a category with the above book, and the Lauren Oliver book. Paige has recently died as a result of falling off the roof of school during physics class. She and her fellow ghosts, two other kids who also died at school, are bound to the school grounds. As she listens to her fellow classmates deal with her death, she starts hearing awful rumors about herself and sets out to set the record straight. This was a really short book and I loved it!</div>
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<u>The Wells Bequest</u> by Polly Shulman</div>
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<img alt="The Wells Bequest (The Grimm Legacy, #2)" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1382946849l/16101024.jpg" width="126" /></div>
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I loved this companion book to The Grimm Legacy. The whole premise is so intriguing - a mysterious library in the middle of New York City where guests can borrow objects from history - including magical items from fairy tales and science-fiction. I think I'm going to do a blog post about this one later this week. </div>
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<u>The Hidden Summer</u> by Gin Phillips</div>
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Nell and Lydia have been best friends for ages. However, their mothers do not get along, and Lydia's mom has forbidden her to see Nell all summer. Nell comes up with a plan for them to be able to spend the long summer days together because she can't bear to be in her house with her unpredictable mother. This is a book where I felt like nothing much happened, but it was beautifully written. Here's an example from the beginning where Nell describes her mother:</div>
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"I am an expert when it comes to reading my mother, but that doesn't mean I don't make mistakes. The trick is to tell when she's in a carnivore mood or a herbivore mood. (Carnivores have sharp teeth for biting. You shouldn't get too close. But herbivores never attack.)" p. 8</div>
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I really felt bad for Nell and wanted everything to change for her in this book. But as she says at the beginning, "Don't go thinking that this story will end with my mother coming to her senses and realizing her mistakes and begging me to forgive her." p. 16</div>
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<b>Picture Book</b></div>
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<u>LMNO Peas</u> by Keith Baker</div>
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<img alt="LMNO Peas" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1306934430l/6949680.jpg" width="176" /></div>
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I read this one to my sweet little niece...she's not quite 1, so I don't know what she thought of it. But I think it's cute!</div>
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<b>Currently Reading</b></div>
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<u>Orphan Train</u> by Christina Baker Kline</div>
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<b>Possible Reads This Week</b></div>
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<img alt="The Twistrose Key" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1366730312l/17465485.jpg" width="134" /> <img alt="Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, #1)" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1388186881l/11235712.jpg" width="132" /> <img alt="The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co., #1)" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1369670906l/13555073.jpg" width="130" /></div>
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HAPPY WINTER-BREAK READING!</div>
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Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-43287240141158195382013-11-03T16:49:00.002-05:002013-11-03T16:49:45.701-05:00Flora & UlyssesHello? Hello? <br />
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Is this thing on?<br />
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Oh, it's working. Guess that can't be my excuse for going silent for 2 months...<br />
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Anyway...<br />
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I recently read <u>Flora & Ulysses</u> by Kate DiCamillo. As soon as I finished I thought, "This is a book I have to blog about."<br />
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The place to start with this book is literally the first page of Chapter One. I just can't get enough of Flora in this book...I am obsessed with the voice Kate DiCamillo has chosen to use.</div>
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<i>Flora Belle Buckman was in her room at her desk. She was very busy. She was doing two things at once. She was ignoring her mother, and she was also reading a comic book entitled </i><b style="font-style: italic;">The Illuminated Adventures of the Amazing Incandesto! </b>(p. 5)</div>
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See what I mean? It's amazing.</div>
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In this book, Flora's neighbor, Mrs. Tickham, receives a vacuum cleaner for her birthday. (NOTE TO HUSBANDS: THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.) Even if it is a Ulysses Super-Suction, Multi-Terrain 2000X.</div>
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Let's just say this doesn't go over well with Mrs. Tickham, Mr. Tickham tries to impress her with its features, and the vacuum ends up flying out the door, into the backyard, and sweeping up a squirrel.</div>
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Flora sees all of this from her bedroom window. And since one of her favorite comics is titled "Terrible Things Can Happen To You", she is always prepared for disaster. She rescues the squirrel (now named Ulysses), who has gained some unexpected superpowers. </div>
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So begins the story. </div>
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There is quite a cast of unusual characters - </div>
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Flora's mother - a romance novelist - Flora cannot stand romance</div>
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Flora's father - who will always introduce himself, even if he's met you before</div>
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William Spiver - who is "suffering from temporary blindness induced by trauma"</div>
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Mary Ann - a shepherdess-shaped lamp that Flora's mother loves dearly</div>
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The more I got into this book, the more I felt for Flora. She feels misunderstood by her mother. She doesn't get to see her father that often. Ulysses is the first "person" that she has felt emotions for in quite some time.</div>
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There is one more passage I need to share. Kate DiCamillo's words can be so powerful:</div>
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(This is a conversation with her mother - but I don't want to give too much away)</div>
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<i>Those four words (so small, so simple, so ordinary) came flying at Flora like enormous slabs of stone. She actually felt herself tip sideways as they hit her. She put up a hand and held on to Ulysses. She used the squirrel to steady herself. </i>(p. 151)</div>
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Powerful stuff. I think that would be a great passage to use as a mentor text in writing. </div>
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I also have many kids in my class who love writing graphic novels. Since this book has some short comics (amazing illustrations by K.G. Campbell) in between some chapters, I think it would be a great mentor for incorporating narrative and comics into one piece of writing.</div>
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Obviously, I loved this book. After checking it out from the library, I bought a copy for my classroom. But (and I do have a "but" about this book), I am not sure if the humor will make it through to my 5th graders. It "might" be one of those books that adults can appreciate more than kids. I do have two kiddos in mind that I am going to recommend it to first...I'm actually hoping to snag another copy and maybe they can try reading it together.</div>
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Have you read Flora & Ulysses? Have any of your students read it? I'd love to hear what you think! </div>
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Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-31496816209816901992013-09-03T06:00:00.000-04:002013-09-03T06:00:00.213-04:00Wake Up MissingLet's just say, I am a huge fan of Kate Messner. I read <u>The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z.</u> a couple years ago, and I thought, "This is an author I need to have on the shelves of my classroom". Kate Messner "gets" kids. As a former teacher, she knows how kids sound and how kids act. All of her books have such real and believable characters. I recently read her book <u>Eye of the Storm</u> (review <a href="http://mrswilliamsreads.blogspot.com/2013/06/eye-of-storm.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span>)</a> and loved it. And when I heard that there was another science-based novel coming out, I knew I had to read it ASAP. Thankfully, my friend <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://stephanieshouldis.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Stephanie</span></a> </span>sent me an ARC to read. <br />
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<img alt="Wake Up Missing" height="200" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1363742503l/17286690.jpg" width="132" /></div>
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Cat has had a life-changing concussion. She has lingering headaches, trouble focusing, and dizziness. She is unable to do many of the outdoor activities that she has loved her whole life. When she and her mother learn about a cutting edge brain-injury center in the Florida Everglades, they jump at the chance to send her. Cat is nervous for her mom to leave her, but she really wants to get better. When she arrives, she meets three other kids her age who are also being treated for similar brain injuries. Things look great at the start, state of the art labs, two smart doctors, kids who say they feel better already. But Cat is observant. She notices everything. She starts to get a funny feeling when she learns about two other kids who are supposedly there, but she never sees them. She overhears the doctors talking about the DNA of dead scientists and a girl who isn't getting better. Cat knows something is up and has to convince the others that things might not be what they seem.</div>
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Just like <u>Eye of the Storm</u>, this book is fast-paced and exciting. I read it in one sitting and was sad for it to end. Kate Messner does a fabulous job researching her books...this book taught me about the science of brain injury and also a lot about the Florida Everglades. I hope she has some more of these sci-fi type novels to come!</div>
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This books comes out on September 10th! I can't wait to get a copy for my classroom!</div>
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Here are some other Kate Messer books I love:</div>
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<u>Capture the Flag</u></div>
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<u>Over and Under the Snow</u></div>
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<u>Marty McGuire</u></div>
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<u>Real Revision</u></div>
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Have you read <u>Wake Up Missing</u>? I'd love to hear what you think!</div>
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Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-57418992958841298262013-08-27T06:00:00.000-04:002013-08-27T06:00:00.067-04:00Slice of Life #1<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="WRITE your slice. SHARE your link. GIVE some comments to (at least three) other slicers. If you're leaving your comment early in the day, please consider returning this evening or tomorrow to read some of our evening posters' slices." src="http://twowritingteachers.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/sols_6.jpg?w=150&h=150" /></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">Ruth and Stacey host Slice of Life on their blog,</span> <a href="http://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Two Writing Teachers</span></a><span style="color: #0b5394;">, every Tuesday. Head on over for some fantastic posts!</span></div>
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Confession: I am a lurker. I have spent months (years?) lurking around Slice of Life posts. I am the kid in my classroom who never has anything to write about. I love to read. I love people who write. But, writing is so hard for me. This summer, Christopher Lehman visited my school district. He told us, "the single most important thing we can do to help our kids write is to be a writer ourselves." <br />
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<i>**cringe**</i> <br />
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In an attempt to live the life of a writer, I started this blog. I decided to write about books because that is where I am comfortable. I LOVE to read books. I know things about books. I like to motivate others to read books. I think I have done a good job, and I now have some "writer's life" type things to share with my students.<br />
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BUT today is different. As I went about my business after school, a SLICE OF LIFE post came to me! So here it is...my first Slice of Life.<br />
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Running.<br />
Running is my nemesis. <br />
I used to be good at it, really good at it. <br />
I spent years of my life running...<br />
around the bases on the softball field,<br />
up and down the soccer field,<br />
from Start to Finish around the track.<br />
I used to be good at it, really, really good at it.<br />
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But now, not so much. <br />
Recently, Joey and I have taken up running again.<br />
We should do it.<br />
We need to do it.<br />
We are slowly getting back in the groove, together.<br />
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But today, he's not home. <br />
In the car, I think<br />
I'll get home and do a quick run.<br />
But then the traffic hits.<br />
And I start yawning.<br />
Oh, and I forgot I have to return an overdue library book.<br />
(The Day the Crayons Quit).<br />
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I get home.<br />
There is no one to push me. <br />
I could just sit down.<br />
I might just sit down.<br />
But I don't.<br />
I lace up my shoes. I'll do a quick one.<br />
I head out.<br />
And<br />
start<br />
running.<br />
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And it's hot. So hot.<br />
I think my car said 90 degrees.<br />
I'll make it quick.<br />
My legs move faster. I feel better.<br />
Maybe I'll go farther I think.<br />
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I pass the spot where we turned yesterday.<br />
I go up one more street. <br />
I could turn around.<br />
I want to turn around.<br />
But instead, I run up the hill.<br />
<i>When I get to the top, it will all be downhill from here.</i><br />
Halfway up, I might die. I think I am dying.<br />
<i>When I get to the top, it will all be downhill from here.</i><br />
I am barely moving. I'll stop at the top.<br />
<i>When I get to the top, it will all be downhill from here.</i><br />
I<br />
finally<br />
make<br />
it.<br />
It's all downhill from here.<br />
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And I don't stop.<br />
I run down the hill...<br />
turn right at the light...<br />
down some more...<br />
cross the bridge...<br />
and I've done it. <br />
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I smile the rest of the way home.<br />
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<br />Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-17890242158466083962013-08-26T21:07:00.001-04:002013-08-26T21:07:26.758-04:00Solve It Your Way: Which Type of Ball Can Roll The Farthest?Last week, <a href="http://mrswilliamsreads.blogspot.com/2013/08/first-week-read-alouds.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">I wrote about</span></a> some of the big ideas that I wanted to explore with my class this school year. Some words that floated around in my head included: creativity, open-minded, thinking, inquiring, cooperation, risk-taking, perseverance. I want my classroom to be a place where each child feels comfortable trying new things and knows that they will be supported no matter what. <br />
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One of the activities I started our year with was "<a href="http://www.solveityourway.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Solve It Your Way</span></a>". I read about Solve It Your Way this summer on one of my favorite blogs, <a href="http://readingyear.blogspot.com/2013/08/solve-it-your-waythen-share-it-with.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">A Year of Reading</span></a>. The premise behind this project is that kids are given a question...and that's about it. We give kids time to think, ponder, chat, discover, and reflect on the question. Then they try some experiments. Then they come back together and talk about what worked and what didn't.<br />
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I thought this fit in perfectly with our "theme" for the year. Here's how my classroom approached Solve It Your Way:<br />
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Since it was the first week of school, I thought this would be a great project for me to observe how kids worked together and what they knew about putting together projects and experiments. I put my kids into 5 random groups. I put the question up on the board: Which Type of Ball Can Roll The Farthest?<br />
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I gave groups several minutes to chat. Then we came back together and we looked at the <a href="http://www.solveityourway.com/p/questions-to-ask-yourself.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Questions to Ask Yourself</span></a> part of the website. From that point on, groups had time to brainstorm and plan. Here are some of our brainstorming charts:<br />
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The next day, the kids came prepared to experiment. I never imagined the sheer volume of balls that would enter my classroom. Everything from the smallest marble to a plethora of bouncy balls to baseballs to water polo balls to soccer balls to basketballs to an enormous pink I don't even know what kind of ball.</div>
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We went out on the playground armed with yardsticks, tape measures, clipboards, and of course all of our balls. Right away, it was interesting to see where each group gravitated. Most groups wanted flat ground. Several groups were interested in how the balls would roll on different terrain: grass, mulch, dirt. Despite our discussion about how one of our challenges would be pushing each ball with the same amount of force, only one group decided to use a ramp (the twisty slide on the playground).</div>
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The kids spent about 45 minutes experimenting and gathering data. </div>
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After our experiments, we went back inside and debriefed. We talked about how scientists use their data and results to draw conclusions. We also talked about how scientists reflect and think about what they would change the next time they tried an experiment. The kids made some posters about their process, results and conclusions. </div>
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This was such a fun project. We are looking forward to spending time each month Solving It Our Way! </div>
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<br />Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671923972470358460.post-24626468263377619952013-08-20T20:00:00.001-04:002013-08-20T20:00:27.173-04:00First Week Read AloudsYou can probably tell by the lack of posts recently that I have started school again. Every year I think, "Oh, it's not such a big deal to start back. It'll be easier this year." But going into my 12th year teaching, I put just as much, if not more, effort into planning and preparing for those first few days. The first few days of school scare me more than any other days of the year. I am a creature of habit. I crave routine. And there is NOTHING routine about those first days. <br />
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But now, I've gotten through it. I actually have to say that these first few days were some of my best ever. Despite being a creature of habit, I always want to find the newest and most interesting activities for my kids to set off the school year. This year, I did several new things that worked out really well. I thought I'd share some of these activities over the next few days.<br />
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This summer I made an effort to read more picture books. I went well over my book-a-day goal due to this fact. I wanted to start the year thinking about working together to be creative, open-minded, risk-takers, inquirers, and thinkers. I chose three picture books for the first three days that revolved around this theme.<br />
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First, we read <u>On a Beam of Light: A Story of Albert Einstein</u> by Jennifer Berne. We talked about living a life that was filled with wonder and thinking. We talked about asking questions and how to find the answers. We talked about how some questions may not have answers and that is okay too.<br />
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<img alt="On a Beam of Light: A Story of Albert Einstein" height="193" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1368424385l/14955390.jpg" width="200" /></div>
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On the second day, we read <u>Mr. Flux</u> by Kyo Maclear. We talked about the importance of trying new things and being open to ideas that might be different from ours. We also talked about how we are all awesome just the way we are :)</div>
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<img alt="Mr. Flux" height="200" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1356153803l/16276878.jpg" width="153" /></div>
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On the third day, we read <u>Papa's Mechanical Fish</u> by Candace Fleming. This book led us into discussions about never giving up, growing ideas by collaborating with others, and revising our thinking.</div>
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<img alt="Papa's Mechanical Fish" height="200" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1354985916l/16002006.jpg" width="200" /></div>
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After we had read all three books, we made a chart of the things we had learned that we can carry with us for the rest of the year. Here were some of our ideas:<br />
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* A brilliant invention can come from anyone at anytime.<br />
* Never give up on the things you want.<br />
* Talk to others and share ideas.<br />
*Any goal can be conquered when you put your mind to it.<br />
*It's okay to be different.<br />
*Change can be a good thing.<br />
*Be unique.<br />
*Be yourself.<br />
*Keep reading, wondering, thinking.<br />
*Be curious about the world around you.<br />
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I think those are some great reminders to have posted in our classroom this year!</div>
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Our first novel read aloud is <u>Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library</u> by Chris Grabenstein. I think we will be able to continue our discussions about problem solving and working with others as we read that book as well!<br />
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Have you read and enjoyed any of these books? My students and I would love to know what you think!</div>
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<br />Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08474134165123305833noreply@blogger.com0