Felton Reinstein is turning sixteen this summer, and his life is turning upside down ever since he started growing and growing and growing. Now he’s not just tall (and constantly hungry), but he is also fast–stupid fast. The track and football coaches want him bad. All those jocks who used to bully him now want to be his friend. It’s a good thing (or is it) since his best friend Gus is spending the summer in Venezuela with family and his mom is freaking out. Oh yeah, he also might have a girlfriend, Aleah, the beautiful and amazingly talented pianist who is living in Gus’s house for the summer.
Stupid Fast (Sourcebooks Fire 2011) was not what I was expecting (a sports story along the lines of Carl Deuker or Mike Lupica), but I enjoyed it very much. Rather than creating an action packed sports story, Geoff Herbach explores a story of family and friendship and romance and bullies and depression and piano.
I loved Felton. He is awkward and dorky and not sure at all about being a jock. He is an accidental athlete who slowly comes to accept it. Harder to accept is the chaos erupting at his home as his mother dives into a depression bigger than all of them. Felton worries as his little brother burns all his clothes and turns into a pirate. He rejoices as Aleah seems to be as into him as he is to her. When it all gets to be too much, he runs and runs and runs. It is not until he learns to reach out and ask for help that he learns just how strong he is.
I’ve gotten out of the habit of this weekly post, but I think it’s time to bring it back as the first of my New Year’s Resolutions. The Friday is flexible because I’m saving this for tomorrow, Christmas Eve.
This is an audio recording of one of my favorite Christmas stories, The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!
I got to celebrate my first Christmas of the year with family last Sunday, and I received two of my favorite presents–a book! and another book! One of those books was The Pull of Gravity by Gae Polisner. You are going to love it, as did many other readers. That’s right. The Pull of Gravity is one of the winners for YA Fiction for the first Nerdies Award. Here are some of my favorite things about The Pull of Gravity:
It’s a book about a book. Okay, not really, but Nick and Jaycee travel with a signed first edition of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. They read it to each other and quote it. You could say it inspires them. Gang aft agley. (Read the book if you want to get it.)
It’s a road trip! Nick and Jaycee head off on a bus to Rochester to fulfill the dying wish of their friend Scooter. He wants the dad he never met to have his copy of Of Mice and Men, worth just $15,000.
It has romance–not too much, but just right. In fact the friendships in this story are much more important, but the growing romance fits. As Nick and Jaycee travel together, all their plans unravel. Somehow, if they just stick together, it might all work out.
Nick. Nick is the Fever King and doesn’t always know what to say or do in every situation. He ignores his dad’s emails (from Fat Man Walking, 2) and and isn’t sure at all they should be chasing down someone who walked out on Scooter.
Jaycee. I love this girl with her troll necklaces, slinky bracelets, and orange Converse sneakers. Even more, I love how she takes charge to do what she thinks is right, even when it sounds crazy.
I have been hearing good things about these two books by Tom Angleberger, and I am glad I finally moved them to the top of my TBR pile for Christmas reading. I laughed all they way through both titles and can’t wait to release these into the classroom. I already had students begging to take them home over Christmas. I’m glad I kept them for myselft because I have a feeling they won’t spend much time on my bookshelf.
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda (Amulet Books 2010)
Tommy has a problem. Should he or should he not ask Sara to dance at the school Fun Night? Even more important–should he trust the advice of Origami Yoda? Does Origami Yoda really tap into the Force, or is it just a paper finger puppet made by Dwight, arguable the wierdest kid in school?
In order to get to the bottom of this mystery, Tommy creates a case file. Every student who asked Origami Yoda a question writes their story. Both Tommy (the confused) and Harvey (the skeptic) leave comments at the end of each case. My favorite, though, are the drawings by Kellen.
At the end, Tommy may not have an answer as to whether or not Origami Yoda is real, but he and his friends can celebrate Fun Night by doing the Twist!
Darth Paper Strikes Back (Amulet Books 2011)
Just when I thought the story couldn’t get any better, Angleberger comes up with a sequel that surpasses all my expectations. It must have pleased a lot of other readers, too, because it is one of the midde grade winners for the first ever Nerdies Awards!
Darkness threatens to take over McQuarrie Middle School. Dwight (creator of Origami Yoda) has been kicked out of school and Harvey has taken over with Darth Paper (an origami finger puppet of…you guessed it). It is up to Tommy to save Dwight by creating another case file, this time to take to the school board.
Not only do we learn more of Origami Yoda’s amazing powers (count me in as a believer), we learn the power of friendship. I can’t say more without spoilers, so you’ll just have to see for yourself how it all works out.
I was struck with wonder reading Brian Selznick’s latest offering, Wonderstruck. I can’t wait to take this book back to school and let my students read it. Those who enjoyed The Invention of Hugo Cabret will love it.
Ben and Rose lived fifty years apart, but their stories mirror and intersect as they are both drawn to New York City in search of someone. Both children miss their mothers. Both children are deaf. Both children get caught in a storm and take shelter in the New York Museum of Natural History. And the museum is where they ultimately find the answers to their quests.
I loved how the two stories (Ben’s in words and Rose’s in pictures) flowed seamlessly. I found myself guessing as to how their stories would come together. I figured some of it out, but was pleasantly surprised by some of the details. I just wish I had read the author’s notes in the back first. Selznic pays tribute through this book to one of my favorite books from my childhood: From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by EL Konigsburg. I caught the big references, but I’m sure there are more I would have caught if I had looked for them. Since I’m probably too old to run away to a museum, I guess I’ll just have to read it again and look for more! Which were your favorite tributes?
Here’s a video of Selznick giving a tour of the museum where much of the story takes place:
I’ve added another graphic novel to my classroom, and I think this one will be hugely popular. I’ve not been a big fan of graphic novels, but slowly I’m discovering titles that I really enjoy, like Smile by Raina Telgemeier. Next I’m going to have to check out the ones that won the first ever Nerdies awards.
Raina is in sixth grade and about to get braces when she trips and falls, knocking out her two front teeth. Thus begins years of braces coming on and off and multiple surgeries to repair or replace her teeth. You know it’s not a good sign when the doctor takes off the tooth bandages and says, “Uh-oh.”
Through it all, Raina is making the transition from middle school to high school. She worries about what her friends will say about her metallic appearance. Who wants to wear headgear and be known as metal-mouth? Her friends aren’t the friendliest she finally realizes as she reaches high school.
I loved everything in this book from the gleaming smiley face on the cover to the bright illustrations within the pages. Raina’s story is one my students can relate to, especially the friendship troubles. I can’t wait to hear what my students think of this one.
I bought Battle Dress by Amy Efaw last year on the recommendation of one of my students. It’s been sitting on my TBR pile ever since. Now that I’ve read it, I wish I had picked it up sooner. Mistina was right. It is an excellent read.
Andrea “Andi” Davis is about to find out if she has what it takes to make it as a West Point cadet, but first she has to survive basic training, otherwise known as the Beast. To survive the hardship and abuse, she must draw on strength she didn’t know she had. But Andi will do anything to avoid returning in defeat to her crazy family. Will her desire to prove her parents wrong be enough?
Efaw paints a gritty picture of life during the Beast, based on her own experience. Having now military experience myself, I can’t speak to its accuracy, but as a reader I felt like I was right there alongside Andi as she struggled to learn the culture of West Point and master classes and physical training. Most of al, Andi had to conquer her own doubts and insecurities. I don’t think I have what it takes to survive West Point’s Beast, but my respect for those who have has grown from reading this book.
I can’t wait to release this title to my classroom. I know I have other readers who will devour this book. Now I just want to get my hands on Efaw’s latest book, After.
Read first 15 minutes of class. Write a blog post listing 100 Things I Know about Me as a Reader. No, you don’t really have to list 100 things, but I do expect you to think and list as many as you can in class today–at least 20 – 25. List everything you have learned about yourself as a reader. Think back to your favorite bedtime stories to your favorite books today. What do you love–and hate–about reading? What are you good at? What do you struggle with? How have you changed as a reader? Homework: Read. Choose five words for Weekly Word Study.
Tuesday
Read first 15 minutes of class. There just might be a pop quiz (spelling) today, so make sure you bring your binder to class with your updated Personal Word List. Enjoy this episode of The Simpsons, which is about about reading and writing! What is your reading challenge for Christmas break? Homework: Read. Complete Weekly Word Study.
Wednesday
We will enjoy the Christmas Convo this morning. We’ll present all that has been collected for Operation Spirit and enjoy performances by various groups. There might even be a couple of surprises in store. This afternoon enjoy the Christmas Carnival with the dance/basketball, movie, computers, or detention. Surely, you’re not in detention. Homework: Read. Complete Weekly Word Study.
Thursday
Enjoy your Christmas break! What’s your book-a-day? Homework: Read. Weekly Word Study due.
Friday
Merry Christmas! What’s your book-a-day? Homework: Read.
Texting while driving has been in the news this week with a recommendation by the NTSB to ban all cell phone use while driving. You might think you can multi-task, but don’t take the chance when you’re behind the wheel. I was sure I had shared this video from AT&T last year, but I can’t find it anywhere. Even if I did, it’s worth sharing again.
It is the first day of November and so, today, someone will die.
I was captivated from the very first line of Maggie Stiefvater’sThe Scorpio Races (Scholastic 2011). I felt like I could step into the pages and onto the shores of Thisby. Thisby is a place I’d love to visit, but I’m not sure I could live there. As an outsider, I probably wouldn’t be welcome, anyway, but I could feel the pull Thisby held over Sean and Puck.
Both Sean and Puck are drawn into the Scorpio Races, but for very different reasons. Sean and his water horse Corr make a nearly unbeatable team. There’s just one problem. Sean doesn’t own Corr; his boss, the owner of Malvern Yard, does. If Sean could win just one more time, he could make Corr his own. Puck has never raced and is terrified of the water horses that killed her parents. (Oh yeah, water horses are vicious, flesh-eating horses that emerge from the sea every fall. The brave–or foolish–men capture and try to tame them in order to race down the beach to bloody finish.) If she can win the race on her ordinary mare Dove, she could win enough to keep her and her brothers from being thrown out of their home.
The violent races form the backdrop of this story that is about so much more–friendship, loss, grief, loyalty, and courage. This is a horse story like no other you’ve ever read. I am ready now to visit an island with windswept beaches and towering cliffs, ready to gaze across the waves and wonder what might lurk beneath them, ready to sink my teeth into a November cake and feel the pounding of hooves.
Felton Reinstein is turning sixteen this summer, and his life is turning upside down ever since he started growing and growing and growing. Now he’s not just tall (and constantly hungry), but he is also fast–stupid fast. The track and football coaches want him bad. All those jocks who used to bully him now want to be his friend. It’s a good thing (or is it) since his best friend Gus is spending the summer in Venezuela with family and his mom is freaking out. Oh yeah, he also might have a girlfriend, Aleah, the beautiful and amazingly talented pianist who is living in Gus’s house for the summer.
