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Book Talk
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I LOVE BOOKS!
I know many of you share this love of books and reading with your children. We have some voracious readers in our classroom. I would like to use this page to post book recommendations and use it to add to an ongoing booklist for parents who many not know where to start in selecting books for their children.
IF you have suggestions or need suggestions
send me an email.
For now here are a few authors and genres to try ...
5/18 - I am grounded... I missed last week. **Please try to get your kid to the library to sign up for the Summer Reading Program! They have great incentives and reading is always easy to do.
I finished another Anne book by LM Montgomery, Rainbow Valley and am now reading Ship Breaker by Bacigalupi. Ship Breaker is a young adult book and is about a dystopian (not to far in the future) society that scavenges from buildings and large tankers from our current time. Life is hard and fossil fuels are scarce so there are new ways of getting around and harsh rules of life. It has a similar feel to the Hunger Games by Collins but isn't as compelling... in my opinion.
5/4 - I am reading the second book of the Magyk series, Flyte by Sage. I also read a Judy Moody book and we are reading the 9th and final book in the Sisters Grimm series, The Council of Mirrors, at home - this book rocks! I still haven't heard from anyone about their at home reading. I am waiting!
4/27 - We are reading The Familiars -Secrets of the Crown by Epstein and Jacobson to Harper. This is book 2 in the series and Harper is really enjoying it! I have been reading The Lost World by Crichton and am now reading Magyk by Sage. I hope to get to Because of Mr. Terupt by Buyea (a Reader's Rally book for next school year) and maybe an old classic, Old Yeller by Gipson. I am planning to read these books to get back into the realistic fiction realm as I plan my summer reading list and maybe a book club. :) I'm still waiting to hear about your family read alouds....
4/20 - We are reading The Wide-Awake Princess by Baker to Harper. I am reading Anne of Ingleside and am planning to start the Magyk series. What are you reading at home? Have you tried a family read aloud? If so, send me a title and I'll give out 300 bonuses! :) READ, READ, READ!
4/13 - Whew! Has it really been two weeks? Here's my current list of completed or "in the works" books: Anne's House of Dreams, Anne of Windly Poplars, & Anne of Ingleside by Montgomery plus Stormbreaker by Horowitz and The Wide-Awake Princess by Baker. AND Among the Barons & Among the Brave by Haddix. OH! I almost forgot Secrets at Sea by Peck. My AR hat is FULL. :)
3/30 - So, we've been reading a book called The Familiars out loud to Harper and so far we are really enjoying it. It's not as fabulous as some fantasy books we've read lately but it's more fun that the series by D'Lacey... so far. And, kids who love animal stories will enjoy these critters, their adventures, and magical mishaps. I am also rereading Flush, a Carl Hiaasen book and Anne's House of Dreams by Montgomery. Who knows what I will read over the break ... hopefully lots of books!
3/23 - I am giving Stroud another try. I am reading the sequel to the Amulet of Samarkand, The Golem's Eye, and so far it is a bit better. I am not ready to give it a thumbs up yet but the characters are a bit more likeable. We are also reading a new (new to me) fantasy book called Familiars by Epstein and Jacobson. It is a traditional tale that seems a bit lighter than other fantasy. Another good introduction. We are enjoying it. Choose a book to read aloud as a family and READ over Spring Break. It's great family time... I promise! :)
3/16 - Okay. How about a new genre? Realistic Fiction with an environmental twist... this means Carl Hiaasen. I think I mentioned him a few weeks ago when I was reading Scat. I read Scat on my own and really enjoyed it. It is filled with a bit of middle school angst and a few questionable words BUT overall Hiaasen's books are funny, smart, and so environmentally savvy that you can't help but give one a try.
We just finished reading another of his books, Hoot, aloud to my daughter and she loved it! My little Lady Naturalist is ready to save some owls! These books are a great way for you to read and discuss environmental issues as a family. And ... you can tell them how you feel about using inappropriate language too. Sometimes I would just leave those words out as I read or we'd be sure to say, "There are some bad words in here. Just cause you hear them doesn't mean you have permission to say them." AND " A few words don't ruin a book". When all was said and done all Harper said about the book was that she LOVED that the owls were saved and was glad that kids got to do the saving. Plus, if you like his style he has a large collection of books for adults with similar themes and style. Hiaasen's a fun read... good for a book group!
3/9 - We finished Ice Fire and will probably pick up book 3 in the series this weekend. Harper enjoyed it but Jim continues to think it's not Dragon-y enough to satisfy. I remain firmly in the category of "it's good intro fantasy". Not a glowing recommendation by any means but not a bad book and I've heard each book gets better... probably because they get more dragony. :) I also read Enna Burning which is a companion book to The Goose Girl by Hale. In this book we revisit the wonderful characters and world the Goose Girl but the characters and story are just not as engaging or enveloping. Again, not a favorite. I think my favorite of the week would be Graceling by Cashore. LOVED the characters and story but would not recommend this book to anyone in elementary school. Now we are reading Hoot by Hiaasen aloud to Harper (love it) and I'm reading a strange and magical tale called Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Riggs. I can't wait to tell you about it next week!
3/2 - Hmm? Or should I say Hrrrrr? That's Dragonspeak for "keep reading!" At least it is in D'Lacey's books. We are now reading Ice Fire with Harper and are enjoying this take on fantasy. It's not my favorite series I've read but I do plan to keep on reading them so they do get my thumbs up review. The characters aren't as deep and my husband thinks the story is a bit confusing (he missed out on The Fire Within - Book 1) but overall it does make the reader want to know what happens. AND ... I hear they get better as you keep reading. So, that's my motto with this series... Keep Reading.
Independently I read Bigger than a Breadbox by Snyder. I believe this author is originally from Atlanta and that's one of the reasons my husband (a school librarian) recommended this book to me. This is about a girl who is rudely uprooted from her Baltimore home by her Mother her needs space and time to consider her marriage and other family issues. I enjoyed the characters and their story, I sympathized with their problems and even liked the bit of magic (a magical breadbox) that complicated the story further. As a more serious read I think I can only recommend this book to a kid or a family that might want to discuss some of these more serious family issues.
I've also read book 8 of the Ranger's Apprentice and will pick up book 9 this weekend ... I LOVE these books!
2/24 - We have started reading Chris D'Lacey's sequel to The Fire Within, Icefire, with Harper. She is enjoying these "intro to fantasy" books. They have beautiful dragon pictures on the cover but in reality the dragons are only a small part of the actual story. These are more about the human characters and learning about dragon lore. Nevertheless, the characters are interesting and I do believe the dragony-bits will grow and become a bigger part of the series. On my own I have finished the 6th and 7th books in the Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan. Last year my favorite series by Gregor the Overlander by Collins and this year it has to be this series by Flanagan. I truly love the characters and can't wait to see what they do next. I am a bit disappointed that book 7 was an excuse to fill in some holes between book 5 and 6 but it was still a great story even if it happened to go backwards in time for a bit! :)
2/17 - Well, it's been a week full of reading. I finished Wildwood by Meloy and truly enjoyed this atypical fantasy. It strikes a similar tone to The Mysterious Benedict Society but took me less time to get into. A wicked governess, talking animals, and fierce battles all keep this book moving and VERY interesting. We also finished listening to the 4th Harry Potter with Harper. Man, that JK Rowling is awesome! And I also read The Fire Within by Chris D'Lacey while Harper was reading it so we could talk about it. It's a lighter fantasy but a good intro book for kids who want to try the more dense fantasy.
2/10 - I finished How to Eat Fried Worms by Rockwell and have started Wildwood by Meloy. The Rockwell book is a classic I had read long ago and will not soon recommend again. It has too much odd dialogue and silliness that it makes the reader have to struggle to be sure of what's going on. I read this with a small group of students an we enjoyed the weirdness of the challenge - to eat 15 worms in 15 days - but overall did not like the structure of the book. I am looking forward to reading Wildwood over the weekend. It may be a new favorite! I issue you a family challenge - to read aloud one book as a family. If you do this, let me know. I hope to provide some small treats for my "takers". :)
2/3 - What have I been reading these days? Mostly Inheritance by Paolini. This is the final chapter in his dragon series. Can you believe he was only 19 when his first book was published? I do enjoy this fantasy series but not as much as Flanagan's Ranger Apprentice series. Inheritance is full of magic, elves, dragons and battles but the characters are not as rich, in my opinion. Nevertheless, I do want to know what happens to Eragon and Nasuada and Arya. I have also been reading parts of Gary Paulsen's Winter Dance which is a book about running the Iditarod. Gary Paulsen is most famous for his kids books like Hatchet but he also has quite a few memoir type books that are AMAZING!
1/27 - Sorry I missed a week. It was a crazy one! I did read a book called The Amulet of Samarkand by Stroud and have started the 4th Ranger's Apprentice book - The Battle for Skandia by Flanagan. I am enjoying this fantasy much more than Stroud's. Stroud is not for me. His characters are terribly unlikable. Do you have a "thing" about books? Something your books have to have for you to enjoy them? I have to have characters I like somewhere in the book. Please let me know if you have any questions or need any suggestions about books. I try very hard to give your child personal suggestions each week in the reading journals. Check their journal carefully this week and write them back. They love these letters!
1/13-What types of books do you enjoy reading or talking about with your family? We read a lot of fantasy or realistic fiction around my house. The best part is how much fun we have with our books! Right now we are listening to the 3rd Harry Potter with Harper. :) We love it!
On my own time, I am reading Scat by Hiaasen (and finished The Girl Who Could Fly on Monday- I enjoyed this too!). Hiaasen writes for both adults and children and those of you who read these books need to know that he often walks the line in his kids books. His language and situations can sometimes be a bit harsh. Nevertheless, he is funny and always tackles some type of eco-theme like saving owls, helping to prevent the destruction of forests, or preventing illegal dumping of chemicals into our waterways.
He also has quite a few books for adults that involve a bit of Mickey Spelane type action rolled in a healthy helping of ecological issues mixed with wacko characters. They are entertaining!
1/6 - Whew! Books are fun. I am now reading Anne of the Island. The third book about Anne of Green Gables. I love this series. It is truly one of my favorites. I can't wait to share it with Harper. This series has such wonderful characters that I feel I know as friends. We are also reading the 8th How to Train Your Dragon book aloud right now and it is funny and sassy and a bit creepy. Jim also recommended a book to me, The Girl Who Could Fly and I plan to get to this book before the end of the weekend. Time to read! What is a book that you have shared as a family or would like to share as a family?
1/2/12 - We spent a lot of time in the car because we drove to TEXAS and back for the holiday so my family did a lot of reading. We finished the 6th, 7th, and 8th books in the Sister's Grimm series as read alouds with Harper. We can't wait for the 9th and final book to come out... in the SUMMER! Oh man, it's going to be a long wait. We are now reading the 8th book in the How to Train Your Dragon series. I also reread Anne of Avonlea and loved every minute of it... again and I reread Goose Girl by Hale - another favorite. My NEW reading included book 3 in the Ranger's Apprentice series - The Icebound Lands by Flanagan.
12/9/11 - Crimes and Misdemeanors (the 5th book in the Sisters Grimm series) by Buckley and Paolini's Brisingr have been my current reading foci. I am also reading a book by Barry and Pierson called Escape from the Carnivale which is about Peter's Magical Island... Neverland. What are you and your family reading? Send me a note for a prize for your child!
12/2/11 - Books! Books! Books! We (my family and I) finished 2 Sisters Grimm's books over the break - The Problem Child (#3) and Once Upon a Crime (#4) by Buckley. I also read The Son of Neptune by Riordan and started Brisingr by Paolini. Nevertheless, my favorite book of the holiday break was Wonderstruck by Selznic. Wow! What an amazing and beautiful book. It is an amazing combination of illustrations and chapters. You just have to see this book (and Hugo Cabret too! There's a movie out now called Hugo based on this book.)! Go to your local library and check it out because it's a pricey book to buy. It is so unique and cool.
11/18/11 - We finished the 3 books I mentioned last week. :) I LOVED Every Soul a Star - thanks Ansley for the recommendation. I also read the first Spiderwick Chronicles book - The Field Guide and started the 2nd book. We are also reading the 3rd Sisters Grimm book out loud - The Problem Child by Buckley. Harper is really enjoying this series even though it's a bit creepy. Who knew Little Red Riding Hood could be SCARY. She is. I am also hoping to read WonderStruck by Selznic this week. It's gorgeous to look at and is done by the same author as Hugo Cabret... a soon-to-be-out movie. I hope the movie does justice to the AMAZING book.
11/11/11 - I have slowed down a bit with my reading. I am listening to The Unusual Suspects - Sisters Grimm Book 2 with Harper. This book was written by Buckley and is a creepy sequel to Book 1 - The Fairytale Detectives. The Grimm Sisters and their Grandmother are trying to solve a mystery at school - people are being killed are are disappearing from the school. So far they have discovered some weird creatures are responsible for wreaking havoc but are they responsible for the crimes? We are loving it and are enjoying listening to it! I highly recommend trying a book on CD.
I am also reading a Reader's Rally book - Every Soul a Star by Mass. This is a great story about 3 kids who come together because of a solar eclipse. I am enjoying the character development and look forward to seeing where this story goes. I am also rereading Granny Torelli Makes Soup by Creech with a group of girls over a lunchtime book group. I love Creech. Her stories are soulfully good!
11/4/11 - I finished Torn by Haddix and another Nancy Drew - Mystery at the Ski Lift by Keene. I also just started Every Soul a Star by Mass. Torn is part of a series by Haddix about the lost children of history - think Lindberg's baby and Virginia Dare. I enjoy the writer quite a bit but her story line is a bit convoluted and I wonder where she's going with this series. I will probably keep reading though because I have a lot invested in these characters at this point. As for my second visit with Nancy, well, I have a student I am reading these with. We may even venture over to the Hardy Boys side of the street. I will tell you more about the Mass book next week. Happy Reading!
10/28/11- Rereading Week! I have reread (or am rereading right now) 3 books this week. My favorite book of all time - Anne of Green Gables by Montgomery, another favorite, The Secret Garden by Burnett we are reading to Harper, and Jurassic Park by Crichton (for the AR points... I'm trying to get a panther head for my hat). Any of you (girls) who like rich character books will enjoy getting to know Anne and Mary Lennox (Secret Garden). Mrs. Coffee thinks Anne's story is boring but I will proudly fight for Anne to be read! I have read this book at least 10 times and I still love it. This time was no exception.
10/21/11 - I finished From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by Konigsburg. I had read this book a long time ago and decided that I might want to revisit these characters since it is our class Lunch Time Book Club book. I really enjoyed the idea of children running away to live in a museum. After reading it I got the feeling that the author should have had a sequel to learn more about the mysterious Mrs. Frankweiler though. I also finished a short but funny book, How to be a Perfect Person in Just 3 Days by Manes. I read this with a small book group over a few lunch periods. This is a quick read for those who like to move quickly through books. And, we are reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets aloud to my daughter. I'm moving a little slow this week on my reading but I'll get back to it this coming week.
10/14/11 - I read Eldest by Paolini, The Secret of the Old Clock by Keene, The Burning Bridge by Flanagan, & we finished reading How to Ride a Dragon's Storm by Cowell to Harper over the weekend. Whew! I revisited an old favorite, Nancy Drew. I wanted to see if I could recommend her to all my readers who want mysteries. Other than a few too many comments about stylish outfits, I found the book engaging enough for a nod to my girls. I may even reread another Keene book to see if they follow a similar pattern or if they change with each book. I'm still looking for other folks to recommend books ... I may run out of books to talk about at some point. Well, that's not too likely. There are so many great books just waiting to be read! :)
10/7/11 - I finished Eragon and Fish this week. I also started a Clements book I have yet to read, The Last Holiday Concert, and we are reading the 7th book in the How to Train Your Dragon series to Harper. I will tell you about Fish by Mone. This is a book about a farm boy who just doesn't really enjoy the farm life. He has earned the nickname Fish because of his love of swimming and the water. When his family comes upon hard times he is chosen to go to the city to work for an uncle to help earn money for the family. He loves the city and his delivery job but is robbed by pirates on one unfortunate day. He follows the pirates (by swimming to their boat) to try to steal back his "purse" of gold coins and discovers that his delivery was the key to finding a pirate treasure. And... now he must join the pirates or walk the plank! This is when Fish becomes a pirate. :) I enjoyed the characters, pace of the story, and overall outcome. Quite an enjoyable read for any of you action-adventure fans.
9/30/11 - I did finish The Journal of Augustus Pelletier and the Journal of Teresa Angelino Viscardi by Jim Murphy. Both of these are part of the Dear America Series put out by Scholastic. They are great historical fiction and are an excellent way to brush up on what we are studying in Social Studies! I am also reading Eragon by Paolini and Fish by Mone. I am almost done with both of these. Let me know if you are interested in Lewis and Clark, Westward Expansion, Dragons, or Pirates and I'll have a book to share! Whew! What are you reading? Are you interested in posting a book recommendation on this page? If so, let me know!
9/23/11 - I am almost done reading The Journal of Augustus Pelletier by Kathryn Lasky. This is a book from the Dear America series that highlights the year 1804 and the famous Lewis and Clark expedition. I do love Kathryn Lasky and her gift for telling fabulous historical fiction tales. This book does not disappoint. If you love learning about history in really interesting ways ... try this book. It has details about the dangerous rivers, amazing animals and the hardships the expedition team had to face as they left Missouri to visit the Pacific Coast of a newly grown United States. AND if you try this one ... check out Lasky's other titles. She is quite good at her craft!
9/16/11 - This week I finished The Ranger's Apprentice by Flanagan. This is another fantasy involving castles, knights, and monsters. It took me about 1/2 the book to get into it but then I really enjoyed the ending. I did recommend it to one student who is an avid reader and a lover of fantasy. This is not a book for everyone but if you are like Dean (see above) I do believe it will be a series you would enjoy. :) Keep reading. I am looking for what I will read next and am hoping to find something exciting to tell you about next.
9/9/11 - I finished The Red Pyramid & The Gollywhopper Games. I will tell you about the latter. The Gollywhopper Games, as I mentioned last week, is like a cross between Charlie and The Chocolate Factory and Swindle. It is about a boy who enters a contest at a major toy store. The twist is the fact that his Dad was fired from this company months before because of an accusation of stealing from the company. The boy and his family have suffered unbearable taunting from neighbors and classmates even though his Dad was found innocent in court. The main character, Gil, wants to win the contest so his family will have enough money to leave town. BUT... there's a twist and many awesome adventures along the way. So far, this is my favorite book of the year! This would make a great family read aloud or is a great book for kids who like stories with puzzles and strong character development. I highly recommend it.
***Parents, if any of you want to recommend books or take a stab at a book entry please let me know.
9/3/11 - I am still reading The Red Pyramid by Riordan. It's different than his other books because it's written as if it was a transcript of events from the eyes of the two main characters. So far, he's still good at the excitement and keeping you engaged BUT ... I may need a break after this book.
I am also reading The Gollywhopper Games by Feldman and I am LOVING this book! I can't wait to finish it so I can recommend it to many of the students in our class. It's a cross between Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Swindle and I can't wait to find out what happens next! This may be my new favorite book. We will see.
8/26/11 - I finished The Last Hero by Riordan, Seekers (book 1) by Hunter, and Shoeless Joe and Me by Gutman. Riordan's book and Hunter's are both fantasy books. The first way more entertaining in my opinion than the latter. Let me know if you want to know more about either of those books but since I spend a lot of time on fantasy write ups I want to touch a bit on the historical fiction (with a bit of fantasy) book Shoeless Joe and Me.
This is a book about a boy who can travel through time (fantasy) by using baseball cards as guides to his time/destination. He travels back to 1919 to try to save Shoeless Joe Jackson from his fall from grace tied to a major baseball scandal. Joe and some teammates threw the world series after being paid off by a bunch of gangster-types. Unfortunately for Joe Jackson, he was caught in the middle of a situation that he didn't want to be in.... The boy in the book wants to try to help Shoeless Joe avoid this horrible career-changing tragedy. This is a great book for sports-loving kids who want to delve a bit into the history of great sports stories.
8/19/11 - I finished up The Secret School by Avi and enjoyed this easy-to-read tale about a girl who really wants to become a teacher. She stretches this passion into taking over the school when her real teacher has to leave to care for an ailing parent.
The main character, Ida, convinces her classmates to keep the fact that their real teacher left a secret so she can continue preparing them and herself for the end of year exams. This means the students won't have to repeat this year of schooling and she will be able to go on to a high school and a teacher education program.
I am not usually a fan of Avi but this book strikes a true and pleasant tone. That is not always the case for Avi and his tendency toward gloom and doom stories. Nevertheless, I think Laura Ingalls Wilder fans will enjoy a visit with Ida and Avi through this book.
8/12/11 - I am currently reading Sabotaged by Haddix. This is the third book in a series (The Missing) where Haddix takes lost people of history - like Amelia Airhart and Virginia Dare - and plops them (as babies) into modern day. Time travel, mystery and adventures rule these books. BUT, as much as I love Haddix these books are a bit convoluted and hard to follow. I had to read the first one twice before I got hooked but... now I am hooked.
Parents, if any of you have books to recommend just send me an email and I'll post your ideas.
Books I read this summer ..
The Penderwicks at Point Moette by Birdsall
Emily's Fortune by Haddix
George's Marvelous Medicine by Dahl
The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Philbrick
Books I read last year...
The Magic Thief by Prineas
Sent & Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Peter and the Sword of Mercy by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson.
Gregor The Overlander by Collins.
Mockingbird by Erskine.
In the 39 clues series -books 6-In Too Deep, 7 - The Viper's Nest, 8-The Emperor's Code, & 9 - Storm Warning. all different authors
Little House on the Prairie by Wilder
The Fablehaven series by Mull
the 4th 39 Clues book - Jude Watson is the author of Beyond the Grave
The Secret of Nihm,
Peter and the Starcatcher series
Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen,
The Sword Thief by Lerangis,
Fablehaven: The Grip of the Shadow Plague by Mull.
Igraine the Brave by Funke
One False Note - The 39 Clues Book 2 by Korman.
Fablehaven - The Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Speare.
Ramona's World by Cleary
Hate that Cat by Sharon Creech
Night of the Howling Dogs by Salisbury.
The Mouse and The Motorcycle = Cleary
A Tale Dark and Grimm by Gidwitz
Ramona Forever - Cleary
The Jungle Book - Kipling
The Last Leopard by St. John
Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Clearly.
The Prisoner's Dilemma - Stewart
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon - Lin
The 39 Clues, Book 1, The Maze of Bones - Korman
Mudshark by Gary Paulsen
The Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen
Rules by Cynthia Lord
The Tale of Desperaux by DiCamillo
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Kelly. Dexter the Tough by Haddix.
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Stewart.
How to Train Your Dragon by Cresswell.
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
Catching Fire - Collins
Mockingjay - Collins
The Hunger Games - Collins
An American Plague-Murphy
Fever by Laurie Halse Anderson
The Candy Wars - Mull
Pillage by Skye
Sister's Grimm - Book 1 - Buckley
Ms. Santana's 4th Grade Gwinnett County
