It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 11/18/13

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...you just might discover the next “must-read” book!

Kellee Moye, of Unleashing Readers, and I decided to give It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children's literature - picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit - join us! We love this meme and think you will, too. We encourage everyone who participates to visit at least three of the other kidlit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them. 

Last Week's Book Adventures:

Jen Says: I finished Sway last week and it really opened my eyes to decisions we make - either to stick with something even when there is so much information telling us not to or when we freak out based on information and make hasty decisions. I've thought a lot about teaching and using data to drive instruction and how the ideas from Sway are so important as we look at data and make decisions about what is happening in classrooms.
     After Sway, I started listening to The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater. I loved The Raven Boys and was so excited for Dream Thieves. In my opinion, the narrator does a great job of bringing the whole story to life, his voice just exudes the creepy awesomeness that the book is all about.
    I can't find The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett!!! I had it last week and now I can't find it. I'm so sad but I'm sure it'll turn up, it may even surprise attack me. I picked up The Cat on the Mat is Flat by Andy Griffiths and we are about halfway through. My kids are enjoying it, they love the rhymes especially!

Reviewed Last Week:

 

Click any picture above to read my review/post!

Upcoming Book Adventures: 

Jen Says: I can't wait for my commute to keep listening to The Dream Thieves! I also grabbed a ton of audiobooks from the library today so we'll see what else I grab next. I'm hoping to get some of my professional reading done so that I can read some fun books on the plane to and from NCTE. I can't wait! If you'll be there, be sure to let me know so we catch up with each other at some point!

This Week's Reviews:

 

Check back this week to read these posts/reviews. 

So, what are you reading this week? 

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

To help build our community and support other bloggers, 

we ask that you comment on at least three other blogs before you. 

Also, if you tweet about your Monday post, don't forget to use #IMWAYR!

I Have a Dream

Title: I Have a Dream 
Author: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 
Illustrator: Kadir Nelson 
Publisher: Schwartz and Wade 
Publication Date: October, 2012 
Genre/Format: Non-Fiction/Picture Book 
GoodReads Summary: On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. stood in front of the Lincoln Memorial looking out over thousands of troubled Americans who had gathered in the name of civil rights and uttered his now famous words, "I have a dream . . ." It was a speech that changed the course of history.

This anniversary edition honors Martin Luther King Jr.'s courageous dream and his immeasurable contribution by presenting his most memorable words in a concise and convenient edition. As Coretta Scott King says in her foreword, "This collection includes many of what I consider to be my husband's most important writings and orations." In addition to the famed keynote address of the 1963 march on Washington, the renowned civil rights leader's most influential words included here are the "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," the essay "Pilgrimage to Nonviolence," and his last sermon, "I See the Promised Land," preached the day before he was assassinated.

Editor James M. Washington arranged the selections chronologically, providing headnotes for each selection that give a running history of the civil rights movement and related events. In his introduction, Washington assesses King's times and significance. 
What I Think: I am always amazed at Kadir Nelson's artwork and his paintings bring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s words to life in I Have a Dream. I couldn't think of anyone more qualified to put artwork to this famous speech. I have always thought that his art is amazing and truly captures the emotion and epicness of the people or circumstances he paints. There's not much else to say except for I definitely recommend this book if you are sharing the I Have a Dream speech.  
Read Together: Grades 1 - 12 
Read Alone: Grades 3 - 12 
Read With: My Brother Martin by Christine King Farris, Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport  
Reading Strategies to Practice: Activating Background Knowledge, Making Connections, Visualizing 
Writing Strategies to Practice: Personal Narrative, Expository 
Writing Prompts: Write about how you feel after listening to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speech and seeing Kadir Nelson's illustrations. 
Topics Covered: Equality, Dreams, Hopes 

I *heart* It:

Let's Celebrate!

It's time to CELEBRATE This Week with Ruth Ayres from Discover. Play. Build.  Every week Ruth invites us to share our celebrations from the week and link up at her blog. What a fun way to reflect on everything there is to be thankful for. 

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This week I'm celebrating writing!

*throws confetti*

I'm so proud to be a writer! When I think about my life, it's pretty cool to see where I am with my writing. Writing is kind of like reading. We read so much during the day and we write so much during the day yet not everyone considers him or herself a reader or a writer. 

There's seems to be a time when something finally clicked and I really felt like a writer. It started to sink in for me as I participated in Teachers Write. I was conversing with other writers, sharing ups and downs and experiencing exultations and turmoil similar to real authors. It was then that it really started to feel like I was a writer. Over the summer I attended the Choice Literacy retreat and that's when it absolutely clicked. It was such an amazing experience to be surrounded by other writers and truly engage in the writing process. I thrived in Writing Workshop when I was in high school and it was an opportunity to be engaged in a similar community where we focused on our writing and on developing our craft. Being part of a community of writers has undoubtedly helped me feel like all the writing I do makes me a writer. Engaging with others around the writing process is a great experience. 

I'm fortunate enough to be part of Teachers Write and Choice Literacy and look forward to presenting about the awesome-ness of Teachers Write and to visiting with Choice Literacy colleagues. I'll be sharing my experiences with the 8th graders I'm working with this year as I work with their teacher to integrate technology and to share what I learned from Teachers Write. It's been amazing!

1. To the 8th graders I'm working with this year to celebrate writing, huzzah! I'm so glad I have been able to be part of your class and to share writing with you! And to their teacher Mrs. Ocampo for collaborating with me!
2. To Kate Messner, Gae Polisner, Jo Knowles and other authors who support Teachers Write. Thank you for sharing your expertise with us teacher writers! It means so much that you let us into your world as a writer as well as give us advice and encouragement!
3. To Brian Wyzlic and all the other educators who participated in Teachers Write. Brian has been a great supporter of my writing but everyone who shares their experience and is a cheerleader to me is awesome!
4. To Brenda Power and my Choice Literacy colleagues. I'm so proud to be part of a group of dedicated educators who are passionate about teaching and sharing their practice. 
5. To Ruth Ayres for making Saturdays a day of Celebration but also for the kind words and inspiration that have given me motivation to write more and to be more reflective in my writing. 
6. To Ruth's newest book, Celebrating Writers! I'm so excited to dig into this book!

What are you celebrating this week?
Do you have an writing celebrations week? 
Thanks for sharing!

Wish

Title: Wish (Faerieground)
Author: Beth Bracken and Kay Fraser   
Illustrator: Odessa Sawyer 
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers 
Publication Date: April, 2013 
Genre/Format: Fantasy/Novel 
GoodReads Summary: Never wish in the woods.

With one wish made in Willow Forest, Soli and Lucy are pulled into Faerieground—and into the middle of an ancient battle. In the faerie kingdom, an evil queen searches for her daughter while the palace crumbles. To save her best friend, Soli must find her hidden strength. This is a story about friendship, growing up, and the power of wishes. This is a story about faeries and spells, queens and lost princesses, fireflies and four-leaf clovers. But mostly, this is a story about love. 
What I Think: When I was little, I remember watching the movie Labyrinth. I was probably 6 or 7 and my younger sister would have been 1 or 2. The girl in the movie wishes that goblins would take her little brother away...and then they do! It's a Jim Henson movie but very dark and scary - or at least it was to me when I was little. To make it worse, there were times when I wasn't a fan of my little sister and it freaked me out to think that goblins might come and take her away if I wasn't careful.
     Wish reminds me a little of that movie because Soli makes a wish in the woods and entangles herself and her best friend Lucy into the world of faeries. It definitely made me think carefully about the phrase, "Be careful what you wish for." Lucy and Soli are best friends but growing up means growing together or apart and sometimes apart to grow back together. I love that the authors capture this very real feeling that comes to being best friends. More than being a story of friendship though, this story has faeries...but not the Tinkerbell sort of faeries. Readers will enjoy connecting with the girls' story but also the fantasy of faeries and the mystery of how Lucy and Soli are connected to the faerie world.
     The dark, mystery of the faeries are brought to life in the illustrations that are mixed in between the text. I think this will help readers feel like they are in the story and help them to imagine just how perilous the girls' adventure us.
Read Together: Grades 6 - 7  
Read Alone: Grades 6 - 9 
Read With: Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu, Wings by April Lynne Pike, Fablehaven by Brandon Mull
Snatch of Text: 
     "Sometimes I feel like I've left Soli behind. Sometimes it feels like she doesn't like doing the things I do. She's so quiet. She's so careful. I like being loud and bright and full of life.
     She is like the other half of me.
     So of course I changed my mind. I invited Soli to the party
     But is there anything wrong with wanting something that could just be mine? Something I wouldn't have to share with my best friend, my sister?
     My own mother? My own friends? My own party? My own boyfriend?
     Does it make me a bad person?" (p. 17-18)
Reading Strategies to Practice: Visualizing 
Writing Strategies to Practice: Personal Narrative 
Writing Prompts: Write about a time in your life when you betrayed someone or someone betrayed you. How did you feel? What did you do about the situation? 
Topics Covered: Friendship, Family, Trust, Honesty, Loyalty, Determination 

I *heart* It:

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 11/11/13

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...you just might discover the next “must-read” book!

Kellee Moye, of Unleashing Readers, and I decided to give It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children's literature - picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit - join us! We love this meme and think you will, too. We encourage everyone who participates to visit at least three of the other kidlit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them. 

Last Week's Book Adventures:

Jen Says: I finished Cuckoo's Calling! Definitely an adult book but I enjoyed it. I then listened to The Heart of the Five Love Languages. I grabbed it at the library and it was only one CD, a super short version of the whole book but a fascinating look at how we interact and show love. There are other versions of the book including a look at how we show caring to kids and at the workplace. Now I'm listening to Sway: How The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior.
     I finished Wish by Beth Bracken and Kay Fraser and really enjoyed it - a cool mix of text and story with illustrations. I'm a little over halfway through The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett by Tom Angleberger and I'm loving it. I'm working my way through some other books...it's just slow going!

Reviewed Last Week:

 

Click on any picture above to read my post/review!

Upcoming Book Adventures: 

Jen Says: I'll continue to listen to Sway and am going to see if I can get Chasing Vermeer from the library because I'm going to tour the Robie House soon. I'm still reading The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppet and imagine I'll read more of There Are No Children Here and my Google Apps Meets the Common Core which is amazing. I'm astounded by all the Google can do, it's pretty crazy! 

This Week's Reviews:

Check back this week to read these posts/reviews!

So, what are you reading this week? 

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

To help build our community and support other bloggers, 

we ask that you comment on at least three other blogs before you. 

Also, if you tweet about your Monday post, don't forget to use #IMWAYR!

Reading in the Wild Book Tour!

Reading in the Wild Book Tour!

Today I am like a balloon floating freely up into the sky, feeling hopeful, knowing the future holds so much possibility and it's all because of Donalyn Miller's book, Reading in the Wild. It's finally here! I am elated because this book holds so many necessary ideas. I say necessary because we need to read Reading in the Wild. Whether you are a teacher who, like me, loved Donalyn's The Book Whisperer and it changed your life personally and/or professionally, or someone who is new to Donalyn's work, you need this book. Reading in the Wild affirms or gives light to how we can support students to develop authentic habits of lifelong readers. Every teacher should be thinking about how to foster the love of reading in a way that honors our students as individuals and encourages them to be readers independent of us. 

I imagine that everyone who reads this book might underline and circle (or maybe highlight if you are so inclined...) and write "YES!!!!!!" in the margins as I did. Donalyn articulates so many things that I needed to hear about reading and best practice and it's all supported by research. She boldly says what needs to be said about teaching readers and it's awesome. Along the way, I thought of countless people that I wanted to share this book with and I hope you read it and share it with others as well.

This was my favorite quote from Reading in the Wild because if we want to encourage students to be readers, we have to be readers ourselves. It all starts with a teacher who lives the life of a reader and models that for students. Donalyn also talks about honoring readers who might do more digital reading than reading of novels, they are readers, too. I find that I continue to encounter people who don't think of themselves as readers because they don't fancy fiction or don't carry novels around with them.

In honor of the release of Reading in the Wild, I thought it would be fun to release some books into the wild using Book Crossing. If you've never heard of Book Crossing, I think it's such a fun idea. I discovered Book Crossing a few years ago when I checked The Sideways Stories from Wayside School out from my public library. I noticed that it had a little sticker inside and it led me to the Book Crossing website. Basically, at Book Crossing you can get a little Book ID number that you stick into your book and then people can log in and share where the book is at is travels around and finds other readers.

Here's what Book Crossing says about releasing a book into the wild! "Referred to as the "wild release" (and loved by so many BookCrossers), this type of sharing is a bit like nudging a baby bird out of the nest or sending your kid off to college. Your book doesn’t want to spend its life on your shelf gathering dust; it wants to get out there and touch lives! So leave your labeled book on a park bench on a summer day, in a train station, on the table in your favorite coffee shop -- anywhere it’s likely to be caught by another delighted reader. Then come back and read about your book’s new adventures!"

I asked Donalyn to share some of the wild places she has found herself talking about books. It's obvious that she's wild about reading and that she is a reader true and true. She is more than a teacher who reads, she is a person who adores reading and can't help but talk to others about it no matter where she finds herself. Here are a few of her fun wild reading anecdotes:

"I habitually scope out what other airline passengers are reading. Recently, on a trip to Chicago, I noticed a woman reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I read the book last year and listened to the audio, which was amazing. The woman was sitting two rows up on the opposite side of the plane and I was frustrated that I couldn't catch her eye and start a conversation about it.

Last winter, I got off the plane in Dallas and ran into one of my former students, Lyndsey, who was waiting for the same plane because her grandmother was on it. Lyndsey ran up to me and we began talking about books. She sighed and told me she hadn't read anything good lately. I opened my carry-on and gave her my copies of See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles and The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen. Lyndsey's dad just shook his head and smiled, "I don't know when we can get those back to you, Mrs. Miller." I told him that it didn't matter.

I talk about books with my hairstylist, Misty, with my fifteen year old daughter's friends (who walk out of our house laden with books), with strangers at Barnes and Noble, with my students and their parents. 

On another trip, I was eating alone in a restaurant and began talking with my server about books. She began writing down titles on her order pad and giving me book suggestions. A few minutes into my salad, she brought another server over to my table to get a book recommendation. Throughout the meal, I met many members of the restaurant wait staff who wanted to share and talk about books." 

I'm so excited to be able to celebrate Reading in the Wild and love knowing that so many others will be reading it and reflecting on how we support readers in and out of school. Already this year, I have shared how important it is to be true to yourself - even if that means being a little wild - as we celebrated Mr. Tiger Goes Wild and then Katy Perry's song, Roar inspired me to think about standing up for what you believe in which makes Donalyn's book, Reading in the Wild, is so timely! It's time that we make positively sure that we are true to ourselves as lifelong readers as we support students in being lifelong readers. 

Thank you to Donalyn for inviting me to be part of this special blog tour!

To hear what others have to say, visit these other stops on the tour:

November 4 The Goddess of YA Literature

November 5 Mr. Schu Reads

November 6 Librarian's Quest

November 7 Nerdy Book Club (Katherine Sokolowski)

November 8 A Year of Reading

November 9 Here!

November 10 Sharpread

The One With Tofurky...Or Not! #slice2013

Every Tuesday, I participate in the Slice of Life challenge at Two Writing Teachers. If you want to participate, you can link up at their Slice of Life Story Post on Tuesdays or you can just head on over there to check out other people's stories. For more information on what a Slice of Life post is about, you can go here. 

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I keep saying that it's a busy time of year for me and I'm starting to think that it's just always a busy time of year. Maybe soon I'll get used to being as busy as I am...maybe? One thing I remind myself is that while I'm busy, I'm busy with fun things, challenging things and, usually, worthwhile things. And those are all great things to be busy with.

November is a particularly busy time for me because of NCTE. I just looked at my monthly calendar last night and realized that NCTE will be here in two weeks! Two weeks! That's craziness. As soon as NCTE was over last year, it felt like it would take forever to get here again and yet,  here we are. I'm so honored to be participating in two presentations (that I still have to work on...). It's going to be exciting to visit with friends, learn like crazy, and share my love of literacy and technology with colleagues.

I wish I was participating in Nanowrimo this year but I've realized it just isn't a good time of year for me to be drafting a novel. I've tried the last few years and every time I haven't been successful. If you are up for it though, go for it! I think Nanowrimo is phenomenal. There are so many great resources and opportunities to connect with others and get some cheerleading. The button is so cool this year, too!

I am participating in Picture Book Month though! I love picture books! Any excuse to celebrate picture books and share them with others is a great opportunity. If you haven't visited the Picture Book Month blog/website, I definitely recommend it. Again, a great resource and a happy place to celebrate picture books! I'll be sharing picture book posts throughout the month so be sure to check back!

In November, I also get to celebrate Thanksgiving. I love the Thanksgiving holiday. It's just a great time to visit with family, sit around and sift through Black Friday ads, and watch football. And we usually get some reading in, too. Over the weekend we were talking about plans for Thanksgiving. Could we convince my sister to host it this year? What was everyone going to bring? What about a vegan Thanksgiving this year?

I love the thought of a vegan Thanksgiving. I could enjoy a meal of all of my favorite Thanksgiving sides...but then my aunt brought up the idea of a vegan turkey. Enter Tofurky:

I don't mind chicken-less chicken nuggets or even some fake bacon every once in a while but Tofurky freaks me out. That is definitely one thing I'd be happy to be too busy to figure out! What's keeping you busy this time of year?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 11/4/13

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...you just might discover the next “must-read” book!

Kellee Moye, of Unleashing Readers, and I decided to give It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children's literature - picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit - join us! We love this meme and think you will, too. We encourage everyone who participates to visit at least three of the other kidlit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them. 

Last Week's Book Adventures:

Jen Says: Last week was basically a blogging fail for me. I've been reflecting a lot on my job change and how that has impacted the rest of my life. I'm loving my job but it definitely takes a different kind of mental capacity than I have ever experienced before which means my ability to do everything else outside of my job is definitely different. It's been almost four months in this new position but I'm definitely still adjusting.
     I've making progress with Cuckoo's Calling. I've stuck with it and while it hasn't been as wild and crazy as I anticipated from the book jacket, I have connected with the characters and really enjoy Cormoran Strike. I'm anticipating I'll finish it this week. I did read Danny Gokey's autobiography, Hope In Front of Me. Danny was a finalist on American Idol a few years ago and we have been fans of his since then but it was interesting and uplifting to read more of his story. I also finished reading StandOut which I thought was phenomenal. It really made me think about my strengths and how to capitalize on them but also how to recognize how they play out in my life.
     I'm still reading Archie: The Married Life, still reading Wish, still reading There Are No Children Here, and I started The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppet. I'm in that phase where I'm in the middle of a million books and eventually I'll finish them out and it'll seem like I read a hundred books in one week.
     As a family we read a few of the Mercy Watson book this week and also the first book in the Boris series which is really cute. Peanut received an awesome package from DC comics after our Nerdy Book Club Post a couple of weeks ago and he has decided he wants to collect and read ever single Super Pets book so I see lots of Super Pets in my future as well!

Reviewed Last Week:

 

Just click on any picture above to go read the review

Upcoming Book Adventures: 

Jen Says: Like I said, just wait until next week when I'll have read a ton of books...but this week I'm still finishing them out (maybe). I'll be reading: Cuckoo's Calling, The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppet, There Are No Children Here, Wish, Archie: The Married Life, volume 2. And then we'll see if I pick up anything else along the way! Oh, and I'm going to try blogging this week...especially on November 9th, when I celebrate the release of Donalyn Miller's Reading in the Wild!!! Hooray! It's finally here (tomorrow)! I'm so excited about this book and know you will love it. I'm so honored to be part of the blog tour and to celebrate it!

This Week's Reviews:

Check back throughout the week to hear about these books. 

So, what are you reading this week? 

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

To help build our community and support other bloggers, 

we ask that you comment on at least three other blogs before you. 

Also, if you tweet about your Monday post, don't forget to use #IMWAYR!