Chase Against Time

Title: Chase Against Time

Author: Steve Reifman

Publisher: Brown Books

Publication Date: March, 2009 (re-released March, 2012)

Genre/Format: Fiction-Mystery/Novel

Summary: Chase is a 6th grader who dreams of playing cello in the school's honor orchestra, but recently the budget has been cut. The day begins with the Chase and the intermediate orchestra are preparing for a PTA fundraiser to raise money to continue supporting the music program by auctioning off a handmade one of a kind cello. The cello is guaranteed to bring enough to save the music program! However, when Chase is walking by the case where the cello is stored, he noticed it missing. The music programs only chance to remain has been stolen! It is now Chase's job to determine who took the cello and save the music program and his dream. 

What I Think: Fans of Scooby Doo, Encyclopedia Brown, and Hardy Boys will find a new kid detective to love in Steve Reifman's Chase mystery series. Chase's mystery is filled with multiple suspects and red herrings and leads to a one day back and forth and ends with quite a surprise.
     I also find Chase Against Time is going to be a great bridge between juvenile fiction like Magic Tree House, Marty McGuire and A to Z Mysteries and larger middle grade books like Emerald Atlas, Liesl & Po, and The Unwanteds. It will definitely help transition readers from one to the other. Chase is in 6th grade, but the story still will very much be connect to elementary students more than middle schoolers. 
     I will say, though, that teachers/adults will need to suspend reality a bit because of the amount of responsibility Chase is given and how he is treated very much like an adult. He is given a lot of the free reign and control throughout the school. I do think, though, that this book would be a fun read aloud to follow the clues and try to figure who the culprit is.

Read Together: Grades 3 to 5

Read Alone: Grades 4 to 6

Read With: A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy, Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon, Encyclopedia Brown by Donald J. Sobol

Snatch of Text: "My emotions had been going up and down like a roller coaster all day. Five minutes ago, I was all set to capture the final piece of the puzzle and get the proof I needed to implicate [him]. Now I was frustrated." (p. 113) 

Mentor Text for: Mystery, Asking Questions, Predicting

Writing Prompts: Chase spends his whole day investigating the missing cello because he does not want to lose his music class. What class would you work this hard to save? Why? 

Topics Covered: School budget, Music class, Jealousy, Friendship, Teachers 

I *heart* It:

**Thank you to Steve Reifman for the copy of Chase Against Time to read and review**

Astronaut Academy

Title: Astronaut Academy: Zero Gravity 
Author: Dave Roman 
Illustrator: Dave Roman 
Publisher: First Second 
Publication Date: June 2011 
Genre/Format: Science Fiction/Graphic Novel 
GoodReads Summary: Hakata Soy's past life as the leader of a futuristic super team won't stay in the past! 
The former space hero is doing his best to keep his head down at Astronaut Academy. Things aren't going so great, though. The most popular girl in school has it in for him. His best friend won't return his calls. And his new roommate is a complete jock who only cares about Fireball. Hakata just wants to make a fresh start. But how will he find time to study Anti-Gravity Gymnastics and Tactical Randomness when he's got a robot doppelganger on its way to kill him? 
What I Think: Do you ever read a book that just completely blows your mind? Astronaut Academy completely blows my mind. I have been reading Jeff Anderson's 10 Things Every Writer Needs to Know. He share how teachers need to expose kids to books that are examples of different ways to unroll a story or even non-fiction text. Expose kids to these books and then stop and examine how the authors do it. It kept coming to mind as I read Astronaut Academy. Dave Roman uses the characters to drive his story. The book is told through little mini stories that focus on one character but over the course of the whole book, one story is told. It's not just giving each character a chapter, he makes each section into a character's comic almost but together they all work to tell a complex story. I love it and I love how it might stretch kids' brains to think of developing their own story this way.
     Here's another reason Astronaut Academy completely blew my mind: it is so unique! I have been trying to think of books I can recommend to read with it but it's really really hard. To me, that tells it's a very unique book. As I was reading, I recognize the feelings and trying to navigate those from books like Smile and The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, the latter of which also switches from character to character but Astronaut Academy is in outer space! It's wild! Which made me think of Ender's Game but Ender's Game is intense in terms of the training and the fighting but lacks the feelings and emotions that teens go through (they are kids after all...). I even started making connections to Harry Potter because of all the characters, they are all at a school, Hakata has to face an enemy that comes after him, there's a girl with a time-stop watch who also has the power to throw fireballs...the point is, this book is awesome because it is so different and awesome but in the end is still about kids and experiences and feelings kids would have. This book is a great addition to any middle school or high school library!
Read Together: Grades 7 - 12 
Read Alone: Grades 7 - 12 
Read With: Smile and Drama by Raina Telgemeier, Teen Boat by Dave Roman and John Green, Missile Mouse (series) by Jake Parker, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda (series) by Tom Angleberger, Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, Harry Potter (series) by JK Rowling 
Snatch of Text: 

Mentor Text For: Characterization, Form, Personal Narrative 

Writing Prompts: Write about a time in your life when you and a friend had a misunderstanding. 
Topics Covered: Friendship, Feelings/Emotions, Love, Space, Identity, Relationships, Attitude

I *heart* It:

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 07/23/12

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA! 

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…who knows, you might discover that next “must read” book!

After doing the meme for a couple of weeks, we realized this would be a fun meme to start up with a kidlit focus - anyone reading and reviewing books in children's literature - it can be picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, you name it in the world of kidlit and it's in! We have loved being a part of this meme and we hope you do too!  We encourage everyone participating to go and visit the other kidlit book bloggers that link up and to comment on as many posts as you can. We love talking books and believe in sharing and discussing what we're reading. We hope you join us!

Last Week's Book Adventures:

Jen Says: I loved Above World by Jenn Reese last week and Astronaut Academy by Dave Roman. I was super excited to start 10 Things Every Writer Needs to Know by Jeff Anderson. Isn't it terribly dorky that I love reading professional texts??? I love it. I found myself smiling hugely and loving what Jeff has to say in his most current book. I also listened to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and finished What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. I've started The Penderwicks at Point Mouette on audio, too. I feel like I did pretty good with my reading this week!

Kellee Says: I had some rereading to do, so I did that first this week. After I was done, I have been reading From What I Remember, which I LOVE! and will probably finish very soon, and a mixture of nonfiction books and graphic novels. 
     The nonfiction books I read were The Greek News by Anton Powell, Sandy's Circus: A Story About Alexander Calder by Tanya Lee Stone, By My Brother's Side by Tiki and Ronde Barber, and Pompeii: Lost and Found by Mary Pope Osborne. I will definitely be reviewing The Greek News for you- it was a great nonfiction book set up like a newspaper. I also loved Sandy's Circus, especially because I love Calder's work and I love reading about art because I have grown up in art museums. 
     The graphic novels I read were the Knights of the Lunch Table series. #1 and #2 were rereads, but I wanted to reintroduce the characters to myself before I read #3 and I really just enjoy the whole series (though #1 is my favorite). I also read Jay-Z: Hip Hop Icon by Jessice Gunderson which is a graphic biography of Jay-Z and Bad Island by Doug TenNapel, a unique GN about a family that gets stuck on an island that is not a normal island.

Reviewed Last Week:

  

  

Just click on any picture above to go read the review

Monster Ninjas Giveaway winner is:
Holly Sanford
Congratulations to Holly!
 Thanks again to Ryan Jacobson for giving us the opportunity for this giveaway!


Babymouse For President Giveaway winner is:
Debbie Tanner
Congratulations to Debbie! 
Thanks again to Colby Sharp for hosting the original  giveaway that made this possible!

Upcoming Book Adventures: 

Jen Says: This week I'm reading Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again and Girl Parts to review soon. I'll keep listening to The Penderwicks #3 and making my way through Jeff Anderson's 10 Things Every Writer Needs to Know so I can start Kate Messner's Real Revision!  

Kellee Says: It is once again a free reading week. I know I am going to get to Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead, Insurgent by Veronica Roth and Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore. I hope I am able to finish all of them and more! 

This Week's Reviews:

        

Check back throughout the week to hear about these books. 

So, what are you reading this week? 

Please link up below and don't forget to check out other blogs to see what they are reading!

 and

TMT Summer Writing Group - Week Eight

It's week eight of our gruelingly fun Teachers Write! Bravo and a round of applause to everyone who is still hanging in there or is joining in now or took a break and is back! The important thing is you are here! Thank you for checking in and helping support me and others. Also, thanks again (because I just can't say it enough) to Kate and Gae for their work on each of their blogs supporting all of us!

On Friday, I spent all afternoon on Spreecast with Gae Polisner and so many Teachers Write friends for our Progress Pool Party. It was the perfect way to end the week! After all this time interacting in blog posts and comments, it seemed like I was just visiting with friends…except we were still all online.

@gaepol, @mentortexts, @kagmoran, and @astarowicz

Gae and I hosted five reading sessions on Friday. There were a few technical difficulties and we feel extremely bad for those who weren’t able to join us but the Teachers Write participants who did seemed to have a great time. There was waving and clapping and lots of feedback given for those who shared their writing. It was like Gae’s Friday Feedback brought to life!

@brianwyzlic, @mentortexts, @alissagrosso, and @gaepol

Before the party, I opened the timer on my phone and started reading, watching the seconds closely to find a 90-second or 2-minute section. When I found a few just-right passages, I then went back to reread them. I practiced changing my voice for the male and female dialogue. I also made sure I knew where I would pause and slow down or speed up or add inflection – all those things good readers do.

Since so far I have focused on writing a first draft, I haven’t revised my writing yet. As I prepared, I found myself revisiting parts of my draft that I haven’t look at since I first wrote them. Parts I haven’t looked at since the summer started. I've already learned to quickly spot changes to make – looking out for words I repeat too often or unnecessary description, like telling the reader a coffee table is in front of me when that’s usually where coffee tables are, duh.

Reading it aloud helped me hear if sentences flowed on their own and with each other. It helped me decide if my dialogue made sense and sounded believable. I remember teachers always recommending I read my work aloud and I recommend it often to students. I suggest they read their writing aloud to see if it makes sense and to listen for mistakes. I tell them to whisper-read if they are in class and want to go over their work. Guess what? There’s a reason to do this. It really does help to see what changes need to be made when you read your work aloud.

Thanks to our Teachers Write Progress Pool Party, I was able to experience what it's like to prepare for a reading and I even learned a bit about revising - I was so aware of my audience. I always have to reread what I have written before anyone reads it - this is true for blog posts or Friday Feedback - but this feeling was completely heightened when it was going to be me reading live and getting instant feedback in the moment from valued friends.

The Progress Pool Party reinforced my strong belief that having trustworthy people to listen and give constructive feedback – the kind of feedback that makes you want to make your writing better instead of making you want to crawl into a hole and eat your WIP so no one else will ever have to endure it - makes a huge difference in my writing. I honestly owe my success this summer in sticking with my writing to Teachers Write and the amazing support of this community. To everyone who has been part of Teachers Write! and has joined in on Friday Feedback and our weekly check-ins here at Teach Mentor Texts: Thank You! I appreciate you and I truly hope it has been as helpful to you!

My rules for the TMT Summer Writing Group:

1. We respect each other and the types of writing we do.

2. We only criticize each other constructively.

3. We are positive and encourage each other at all times.

4. We recognize and maintain this as a safe environment.

**I reserve every right to put the smackdown

on anyone who messes with our positive energy.**

Today, in the comments section:

How has being part of Teachers Write influenced your writing this summer?

What was the pit of your week? (The hardest part, the not-fun part?)

What was the peak of your week? (The bet part, the most-fun part?)

What are you looking forward to and planning for the week ahead?

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week of writing!

Above World

Title: Above World
Author:Jenn Reese   
Publisher: Candlewick Press  
Publication Date: February 2012 
Genre/Format: Dystopian/Novel 
GoodReads Summary: Thirteen-year-old Aluna has lived her entire life under the ocean with the Coral Kampii in the City of Shifting Tides. But after centuries spent hidden from the Above World, her colony’s survival is in doubt. The Kampii’s breathing necklaces are failing, but the elders are unwilling to venture above water to seek answers. Only headstrong Aluna and her friend Hoku are stubborn and bold enough to face the terrors of land to search for way to save their people. 

But can Aluna’s warrior spirit and Hoku’s tech-savvy keep them safe? Set in a world where overcrowding has led humans to adapt—growing tails to live under the ocean or wings to live on mountains—here is a ride through a future where greed and cruelty have gone unchecked, but the loyalty of friends remains true. 
What I Think: I was completely drawn to the cover of this book. Isn't it beautiful? Candlewick does an amazing job with their book covers, if I do say so myself. I was really excited that this book was a middle grade dystopian. I wasn't sure how intense it would get, but Aluna and Hoku really are thrown into the gauntlet - or, I should say, they throw themselves into the gauntlet. They definitely want to do whatever they can to help their people. They are able to see how close-minded their leaders are being and take it into their own hands to make a difference.
     The main characters end up meeting so many interesting characters who are hybrids of humans and other animals. I thought that was very creative. In a way, it reminded me of the flying monkeys from The Wizard of Oz. From the standpoint of talking to kids about this book, I would be asking them to look at how the author goes back and forth between her two main characters. Aluna and Hoku are very different; they each have their own strengths and weaknesses yet they both truly care for each other and make decisions based off of that. It's so interesting to me how they both grow throughout the book but each in his or her own way. I think this is something important for readers to pay attention to but also that writers can learn from as well.
     I can't write this review without mentioning the action and excitement that builds as the book goes on. I would have given this book five hearts based solely on the fighting scenes. I think Reese does a great job of bringing these scenes to life. (The only thing that held me back from giving the book five stars was figuring out whether they were in the water or the Above World at the end of the book...it was just a bit unclear.) I noticed in the acknowledgements that Reese mentions her martial arts family and I can definitely see how her experience with that helped to make the fighting scenes believable.
Read Together: Grades 4 - 7 
Read Alone: Grades 4 - 8 
Read With: The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler, The Looking Glass Wars (series) by Frank Beddor, Eye of the Storm by Kate Messner 
Snatch of Text:  
     "Her father's brow darkened. 'You are too young to understand what's happening. You know nothing of the Above World and its horrors. Grow up, Aluna. You're about to get your tail, and you're still acting like a child.'
     She glowered, her blistered hands curling into fists. She couldn't speak, not without screaming. Where was the proud, honorable man the rest of the Kampii saw when they looked at her father? All she saw was a coward. A coward who was perpetually disppointed in her.
     'Get out of my sight,' her father said, and she did." p. 34

     "Hoku looked at the silvery water safe. A great whirlpool was forming inside his belly. Not just of fear, although there was certainly some of that, but of excitement. It swirled inside him, faster and faster, until it was all he could feel." p. 56
Mentor Text For: Characterization, Descriptive, Making Inferences, Imagery, Personal Narrative
Writing Prompts: Write about a time in your life when you had to trust in yourself and do what something you believed in.
Topics Covered: Friendship, Family, Loyalty, Doing What's Right, Bravery, Courage

I *heart* It:

 
**Thank you to Candlewick Press for providing a copy of his novel for review**

The Younger Days

Title: The Younger Days

Author: Mike Hays

Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing

Publication Date: March, 2012

Genre/Format: Historical Fiction/Novel

Goodreads Summary: Even a decade after the Civil War, the evil deeds carried out in the Border War for "Bloody" Kansas are not forgotten. Hate and revenge still rule the hearts of some, while others wish only to forget and disappear. 
     In the beginning, Boy Smyth has a dull Missouri farm life and a burning desire to be an outlaw like his hero, Cole Younger. 
     In the end, Boy Smyth has five dead bodies and two burning buildings at his farm and the most feared man in the United States crying outside his front gate. 
     And that desire for the outlaw life? It's purged completely from his system.

What I Think: Do you know what a Bushwhacker is? Well I didn't until I picked up this book (they are outlaws that fight over disputed land after major conflicts, just FYI. Jesse James was one.). I knew going it that it took place 10 years after the Civil War, but I didn't know much else. So, when I began reading and Boy Smyth started talking about Bushwhackers and Cole Younger and train robberies I was intrigued. I immediately wanted to know what the history was and what the fiction was, so I jumped on the computer and did about 30 minutes of side research- this time period is so interesting! I had no idea that this border war continued for years after the end of the Civil War. 
     Once my background knowledge was sufficiently built, I jumped back into the book. It is not only about the history of border wars and bushwhackers, it is a story about loyalty, family, friendship, revenge, and faith (though not too preachy). 
     One of the things I liked the most about the book, was the father-son relationship that grew throughout. At the beginning, Boy Smyth didn't not really know his father, but through the events in the book, he became proud of and closer to his father. 
     And- MAN! Around page 50, just as you think you have the story figured out, something crazy happens! I couldn't stop reading. 

Read Together: Grades 6 to 8

Read Alone: Grades 6 to 9

Read With: Crogan's Loyalty by Chris Schweizer, Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen, A Boy at War by Harry Mazer

Snatch of Text: "I saw Pa and my family life in a whole new light. I think I understood better why Pa was the way he was. Understood why Pa didn't brag or tell tall tales like some of the other men around town. Still, I had the urge to shout up and down [the truth]. I also knew why I could never tell a soul and understood the weight of the promise I'd made to Ma." (p. 48)

Mentor Text for: Historical Fiction, Background Knowledge

Writing Prompts: Some time parents don't make any sense; however, they always have a reason for doing what they do- tell me about a time where your parents seemed irrational or unfair, but were really looking out for your best interests. 

Topics Covered: Missouri-Kansas Border War, Civil War, Bushwhacker, Family, Faith, Loyalty, Revenge, Friendship

I *heart* It:

 

**Thank you to Mike Hays for providing a copy of his novel for review**

Kids Read Comics 2012

Almost two weeks ago, my family and I made the trek to Ann Arbor, Michigan for Kids Read Comics 2012. It was a lot of fun to meet up with old and new Twitter friends and Nerdy Book Club friends. At the event, there were so many breakout sessions for kids to interact with cartoonists. Whether it was wandering Artist Alley, watching a quick draw led by Dave Roman or learning how to turn your ordinary everyday life into a comic with Raina Telgemeier, there were numerous choices and nonstop fun all weekend. You can read more about Beth's experience and see pictures here.

I grew up reading Garfield comics from the library and the Archie comics I would beg my mom to buy me at the the grocery store. My favorite part of the newspaper always has been, and still is, the funny pages. In May, I was excited to learn about Free Comic Book Day. I buckled Peanut into the car and drove to our closest comic book shop. Peanut was excited because there was a Star Wars Storm Trooper at the door. We tried to look for Star Wars comics to buy but most of them were really graphic and honestly didn't seem to tell any of the stories from the movies Peanut was familiar with. We did our best to buy something appropriate for him...the poor man at the shop was pulling comics from different spots, but none of them really seemed just right for a five-year-old. 

**Imagine disgruntled mama-teacher face now.**

This has bothered me ever since. I want to help my kids and my students love comics but it doesn't work if there aren't comics they can read. The comic book store closest to my house just isn't kids friendly. It's a tiny, tiny store, packed with boxes of comics and one wall of comics displayed. It really has zero appeal to kids. I'm serious, zero. (It doesn't even have a website...) In Ann Arbor, while wandering around the night before the Kids Read Comics fun, we found Vault of Midnight. When I walked in there, I thought, "Now this is a comic book store!" I was thoroughly impressed. 

It is colorful. It is big (it even has a downstairs!). It has real shelving...maybe it wasn't hard to impress me after the last comic book store I had been in, but seriously, it was awesome! I still had no idea where to look for kid-friendly comics and we didn't really have a lot of time to chat with a store helper because we had Little Bean with us and he was ready to just run around the store if we let him. All the comics though, and look what my kids are interested in:

That's right, the toys. To be fair though, toys are marketed for kids. The comics we have found in comic book stores don't seem to be. Peanut was interested in some of them, but a lot of them I didn't even want him to be interested in because I could tell from the covers that the content and the artwork wasn't going to be appropriate for him.

During Kids Read Comics, I was excited to join in on Jerzy Drozd's Comics Are Great discussion of kids reading comics with some awesome cartoonists when they asked audience members to ask questions of the assembled panel. My question to them started by me explaining how completely overwhelmed I feel walking into a comic book store. I have never felt so much like a mom who just doesn't get it than when I am in a comic book store. Most of the time, I feel like I can help my kids make decisions and explain things to them...but in a comic book store that is a totally different situation. What I wanted to know was what I should ask for when I go into a comic book store. The answer I got really was suggestions for great books for kids and an amazing resource for kids' comics.

I realized then that it was time to let go of the idea of being able to walk into a comic book store with my five-year-old son. Not that I can't and not that I won't...but I do think that for now, we'll focus on reading graphic novels similar to those we already have from our library or bookstore. There are so many great comics for kids in book form right now to keep us busy until Peanut is a bit older and ready for some of the more mature comics we have seen in comic book stores.

Raina Telgemeier recommended the book A Parent's Guide to the Best Kids' Comics: Choosing Titles Your Children Will Love. I love it! There are many titles I recognize in this book but also many suggestions for other titles to look for. It gives very specific reviews and samples of the comics. 

In the foreword, it says: "...once you've begun to explore the field, the next step is to let your children to go the library and explore whatever areas they gravitate to." Notice it does not say "go to the comic book store."

In the introduction, it says: "You'll note that our list does not include magazine-like comic books that you may have read growing up. Such comics still exist - but many, if not most, are aimed at older readers." I was right! I finally understood that what I was experiencing in comic book stores was really the case. 

Finally, they also say this in the introduction to this wonderful guide: "...somewhere along the line, in the comics industry's struggle to have the medium taken seriously as a way to tell mature, sophisticated stories for adults, comics forgot about kids."

The exciting part is that recently many people have been working to publish quality comics for kids. Many of these are the books we read at our house. Yay! I am much happier having realized that we are reading comics in the form or books in our house and that's exactly what we should be doing at this point. I've added some of my favorites below but I also recommend checking out our buying A Parent's Guide to the Best Kids' Comics and I also recommend listening to the new podcast series by Dave Roman and Jerzy Drozd called Kids Comics Revolution. 

 

Please share your favorite graphic novels in the comments! 
I love to hear what comics you are reading!