Reflections on Literature and Life
When I finally read Ruta Sepetys’s first book Between Shades of Grey, my only regret was that I did not read it sooner. I am thrilled that so many of my students have discovered it as well and are passing it around. I think we will all be excited to read her newest book that comes out in February. Just listen to her talk about writing Out of the Easy.
This is my retro book review running over at the Nerdy Book Club site today. Remember you have until tomorrow to submit your favorite books of 2012 for a Nerdy Award.
I don’t remember the first time I read Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (probably sometime during my high school or college years), but every year that I have been teaching eighth grade I make it my mission to put this little book in the hands of just the right reader. I love it when the magic happens and I can revel with another reader at the myriad of improbable events and and snicker any mention of the number 42.
If for some reason you have version the many versions of this classic sci if comedy (Listen to the radio show! Watch the movie or televison show! Play the video game! Peruse the comics!), let me introduce you.
Poor Arthur Dent is a befuddled human who is fascinated by digital watches and worried about all the wrong things. It simply doesn’t matter is city hall is going to bulldoze your house if Vogons are waiting up above to demolish the Earth to make way for a hyperspatial express route. Fortunately, his friend Ford Prefect is not from Guilford, but is from a small planet somewhere near the vicinity of Betelgeuse. Ford also writes for the best-selling Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. When the Vogons show up, Ford is past ready to hitch a ride away from Earth, and he takes Arthur with him.
As they make their way across the universe, they escape the horrifying effects of Vogons poetry (while strapped into poetry appreciation chairs), survive being thrust into the vacuum of space (improbable to the odds of two to the power of two hundred and seventy-six thousand, seven hundred and nine to one against), are picked up by the the Heart of Gold (stolen by Ford’s cousin Zaphod Beeblebrox who just happens to be President of the Imperial Galactic Government), and visit the mythical planet of Magrathea (which designed the Earth as an experiment to discover the question to the Life, the Universe and Everything. The answer is 42.).
Believe it or not, these seemingly random and improbable events (along with many more) come together in a way that is both brilliant and hilarious. After all, I’ve never laughed at a squashed sperm whale before, but it is the characters that I love and remember the most. Arthur may be bumbling, but he manages to surprise even Ford on occasion and even says something more intelligent than “tea” every once in a while. Ford may be a suave travel writer (or at least he thinks he is), but he is a loyal friend and cousin when it counts. Zaphod may be stupid, or it may be just an act. Even he doesn’t know why he does the things he does, but a secret brain surgery has convinced him there is a method to his madness. It’s a good thing he has Trillian, a mathematician and astrophysicist, to look after him. My favorite, though, has to be Marvin, the depressed robot. You are bound to feel better about your situation after spending time with him.
Quick, grab a copy of Hitchhiker’s and a cu of tea and settle in for the ride of a lifetime. The journey can continue with the ever growing series, including The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Life, the Universe, and Everything, So Long and Thanks for All the Fish, Mostly Harmless, and now And Another Thing written by Eoin Colfer. If all else fails, DON’T PANIC keep your towel handy.
PS -There are only 177 days left until Towel Day on May 25.
I had been hearing good things about I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder, but it wasn’t until I bought it that I realized it is a novel in verse. That just made it all the better and instantly moved it up to the top of my TBR pile. I love novels in verse, and so do many of my students.
The story opens with Ava sitting through the funeral of Jackson, the first boy she ever loved. Not only is she is devastated by his death,but she also blames herself for it. Little by little, the short poems on each page reveal more and more of Ava’s story–her grief, her guilt, her indecision.
Then Ava begins to sense Jackson’s presence in her house. At first its just a feeling of cold or a glimpse in a mirror. Then Jackson begins to enter her thoughts and leave her messages by turning on lights or slamming doors. How can Ava go on with life when her dead boyfriend is still hanging on to hers?
I loved this romantic ghost story and can’t wait to hear what my students think about it.
Read first fifteen minutes of class. DPG Week 9 (Daily Grammar Practice): parts of speech. Review Assessment 1.5.
Homework: Read. Turn in book reviews as you finish peer conferences and editing.
Read first fifteen minutes of class. DPG – sentence parts. Use the organizer to start planning your editorial. Decide on your topic and then write your position statement or thesis. Brainstorm possible arguments you can use to persuade your readers.
Homework: Read. Turn in book reviews as you finish peer conferences and editing.
Read first fifteen minutes of class. DPG – Clauses, Sentence Type and Purpose. Continue brainstorming arguments to support your opinion. Also think about what arguments people on the other side use. How will you counter them or show why they are wrong?
Homework: Read. Turn in book reviews as you finish peer conferences and editing.
Read first fifteen minutes of class. DPG Week 9 — Capitalization and Punctuation. Write a Reading Reflection on the book you are currently reading or have just finished. Include the title and author of the book in your post. Then choose an important passage from the book–one that reveals something about the character, conflict, or theme. Copy or quote the passage with a citation (author’s last name and page number). Then explain why you chose the quote and why it is important to the book.
Homework: Read. Turn in book reviews as you finish peer conferences and editing.
Read first fifteen minutes of class. DPG Week 9 — Diagramming. Read and discuss editorials on a topic of your choice. Finish your blog post with your Reading Reflection.
Homework: Read. Turn in book reviews as you finish peer conferences and editing.
Read first fifteen minutes of class. DPG Week 9 (Daily Grammar Practice): parts of speech. Review Assessment 1.5.
Homework: Read. Turn in book reviews as you finish peer conferences and editing.
Read first fifteen minutes of class. DPG – sentence parts. Use questions to frame your issue. Decide what issue you would like to write your editorial about. Write 6 – 8 questions that frame your issue to focus on controversial aspects.
Homework: Read. Turn in book reviews as you finish peer conferences and editing.
Read first fifteen minutes of class. DPG – Clauses, Sentence Type and Purpose. Read the two editorials on banning junk food in schools. Use the INSERT codes to record your thinking. Discuss the editorial in your group.
Homework: Read. Turn in book reviews as you finish peer conferences and editing.
Read first fifteen minutes of class. DPG Week 9 — Capitalization and Punctuation. Use the Essential Questions to understand the structure of the editorials.
Homework: Read. Turn in book reviews as you finish peer conferences and editing.
Read first fifteen minutes of class. DPG Week 9 — Diagramming. Read and discuss editorials on a topic of your choice. Use the INSERT Codes and Essential Questions to identify the position and arguments.
Homework: Read. Turn in book reviews as you finish peer conferences and editing.
My students this year are loving graphic novels, and I am feeling the lack in my book collection. I currently have only three books on that shelf. That’s been pretty typical this entire year. At the Scholastic book fair this week, I stocked up on some more titles. I’m reading them as quickly as I can so I can put them in the hands of students. Here they come!
Poe by J. Barton Mitchell (writer), Dean Kotz (art), and many more (BOOM! Studios 2011)
At first I wasn’t sure how to take this fictional biography of Poe, but the further I got into it, the more I liked it. The story line of Poe’s supposed life is as dark and twisted as his short stories and poems. He’s haunted by a Raven and sees visions of gruesome death’s. As Poe helps his police detective (a word Poe creates in this story) brother, they escape one bizarre event after another. The most fun for me was recognizing elements from Poe’s stories in their adventures. The dark artwork lends even more doom to the mood.
Avengers by Paul Toben and others (Marvel worldwide 2010)
I read this one for my students. I am not a huge superhero fan, but I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. I wss surprised by the somewhat silly humor and allusions.this is a collection of previously collected comics Superheros, Supernova, and Tails of the Pet Avengers. If have to confess that my favorites were from the Pet Avengers. Classic superhero artwork carries the story along with the text.
Excaliber: The Legend of King Arthur: A Graphic Novel by Tony Lee and Sam Heart (Candlewick Press 2010)
No matter what form it’s in, I love stories of King Arthur amd the knights of the Round Table. This version focuses closely on Arthur and how his decision to forget the Lady of the Lake bring about his death and the end of Camelot. Lancelot and his love for Arthur’s Guinivere also are prominent. Lush illustrations add to the fantasy components with the faerie, both seelie and unseelie.
Trouble Maker by Janet and Alex Evanovich, art by Joelle Jones (Dark Horse Books 2010, 2011)
Explosions, kidnappings, and angry chickens lead Alex Barnaby and Sam Hooker on a non stop thrill ride through the streets of MiamI and the swamps of the Florida Keys as they try to outsmart a voodoo priest. The trouble begins when Lorna is kidnapped and held hostage for a statue stolen by her boss, Walter Percy. The nefarious Nitro will stop at nothing to get him back. Can Alex and Sam rescue Rosa and return the Baron Samedi statue to the museum before it’s too late? Vibrant colors bring Miami and South Florida to the page.
The Clique: A Graphic Novel by Lisi Harrison & Yishan Li (Yen Press/Hachette Book Group 2010)
I have never gotten around to reading the popular Clique series even though my middle school girls have raved about it for years. When I saw this graphic novel edition at the book fair, I had to grab it. I can see why middle school girls love it. Massie and her friends are the ultimate mean girls, but newcomer Claire manages to hold her own and even get sweet revenge as she navigates the very expensive social customs of her new school. The manga illustrations are perfect for these girls.
I know these graphic novels won’t stay on my shelf for long. Which ones do you want to read?
As Thanksgiving approaches this week, I am grateful for many things. All of my students are taking time this week to reflect on some part of life they are thankful for as well. Definitely take time to browse through their posts by clicking on a class period under the Blogroll on the right. Meanwhile, here are the things I appreciate about each of my five language arts classes.
I am thankful for the exuberance my 2nd period class brings. They have been reading lots of books and currently hold both the highest number of books read and the highest average per student. Olivia M explains her book obsession. I have loved reading their poems and memoirs. Check out this poem by John W and memoir by Brooke P. I love when they get excited about books and start passing them around. Carrly I and Allison G have read Played by Dana Davidson. Kelsey C and Macey B have been passing back and forth the mermaid books by Tera Lynn Childs. What good books will they discover next?
I am thankful for the peacefulness that fills my third period. All that quiet produces some good thinking and reading and writing. Just check out what Caleb P has to say about This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel. Many share a love of Sarah Dessen books. Isn’t that right, Ashley P, Krystal W, and Raechel M. Who is going to be the first to follow her on Twitter? Carlee L wrote about the book everyone’s reading–The Pull of Gravity by Gae Polisner–and the author even dropped by! I can’t even list all the students tearing through The Hunger Games series. Trenton wrote about my current favorite nonfiction book, How They Croaked.
I am thankful fifth period gets me off to a good start after lunch. They are reading some good books in this class. They even said they would buy me books from the book fair for Christmas! I can’t wait to open those presents! They have been writing great blog posts. Kameron D writes about the drawbacks of fame. Brooke M writes about the high cost of dropping out of school. Henry S gives excellent reasons why we should all read. You can also discover some great memoirs (like this one by Katy C) and poems. James S captures the chaos of the hallways during passing period, and Brooke V paints of picture of where she’s from.
I am thankful my sixth period keeps me on my toes looking for good books. Don’t let them fool you. They may say they hate reading, but they have taken the lead in both total number of books and the highest average of books read per student in my afternoon classes! Much of that is due to their love of graphic novels, especially Mal and Chad. Coming soon will be an awesome blog post with contributions from some new fans. They’ve also been writing some awesome blog posts. Check out what Ally H says about giving fame second thoughts. Haley H wrote about the cost of high school drop outs. If you need some good reasons to read, check out what Logan E and Tylor B advise. I’ve also enjoyed their memoirs (like this one by Katie H) and poems (like these by Kourtney G and Austin M).
I am thankful to end my day with my seventh period class. They make me laugh, especially when they diagram sentences on the desk. They are also discovering which books and authors they like. You wouldn’t believe how any books they’ve read! I’m not sure they can, either. I love reading what they post on their blogs. Klayton B and Haley G wrote awesome poems. Kasen R’s and Shawn V’s memoirs were definitely memorable. Austin K and Diana B give contrasting views of fame. Mckenzie R gives some good reasons for reading.
Read first fifteen minutes of class. DPG Week 7 (Daily Grammar Practice): parts of speech and sentence parts. What are you thankful for? Write a blog post about something you are thankful for. Write a topic sentence that describes a category of something you are thankful for such as family or friends or school. Then give at least four examples of specific details you are thankful for within that category. If you don’t finish, you may finish on Wednesday.
Homework: Read. Blog post due by end of class. Turn in book reviews as you finish peer conferences and editing.
Read first fifteen minutes of class. DPG – Clauses, Sentence Type and Purpose; Capitalization and Punctuation. LIBRARY. During our regularly scheduled library visit, we will also get to visit the book fair. Stock up on your favorite titles! If you are looking to buy your favorite 8th grade Language Arts teacher a Christmas present, consider buying a book you want to read to donate to our classroom library.
Homework: Read. Turn in book reviews as you finish peer conferences and editing.
Read first fifteen minutes of class. DPG – Diagramming. Finish Thanksgiving blog post. Once you publish the post, follow these directions to create a turkey. ENJOY.
Homework: Read. Turn in book reviews as you finish peer conferences and editing.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Homework: Read.
Enjoy your day off. If you need a break from Black Friday shopping, relax with a good book.
Homework: Read.
Read first fifteen minutes of class. DPG Week 7 (Daily Grammar Practice): parts of speech and sentence parts. What are you thankful for? Write a blog post about something you are thankful for. Write a topic sentence that describes a category of something you are thankful for such as family or friends or school. Then give at least four examples of specific details you are thankful for within that category. If you don’t finish, you may finish on Wednesday.
Homework: Read.
Read first fifteen minutes of class. DPG – Clauses, Sentence Type and Purpose; Capitalization and Punctuation. LIBRARY. During our regularly scheduled library visit, we will also get to visit the book fair. Stock up on your favorite titles! If you are looking to buy your favorite 8th grade Language Arts teacher a Christmas present, consider buying a book you want to read to donate to our classroom library.
Homework: Read.
Read first fifteen minutes of class. DPG – Diagramming. Finish Thanksgiving blog post. Once you publish the post, follow these directions to create a turkey. ENJOY.
Homework: Read.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Homework: Read.
Enjoy your day off. If you need a break from Black Friday shopping, relax with a good book.
Homework: Read.
Tera Lynn Childs creates a satisfying ending to the trilogy of books about Lily Sanderson, a secret mermaid princess learning about life on land as a high school student. Just for Fins (Katherine Tegen Books 2012) is my favorite in this series because Lily has grown into her own person with grace and courage.
No longer is Lily plagued with deciding what is right for herself (Brody or Quinn? Princess or not?). Instead she is ready to take on the responsibilities that are her birthright–and not a moment to soon. Trouble is brewing under the waves as multiple kingdoms are threatened by a changing climate and increasing pollution from humans. The leaders of the seven seas come at Lily’s invitation, but they do not respond favorably to her pleas for help. Many have secretly decided to take matters into their own hands, threatening the secrecy that protects the mer kingdoms. Can Princess WaterLily uncover and stop the plot. before it is too late? Meanwhile, an ancient mer-law threatens to separate Lily and Quinn, this time forever. Quinn must pass three tests of his physical, mental, and emotional endurance without any help from anyone.
I really liked how the characters grow through this series. Not only does Lily grow into a leader, but Quinn also changes through his quests. He might even make a believable merman by the end. The biggest change, though comes with Dosinia and Brody. No longer a spoiled brat rebelling against everything, Dosinia becomes Lily’s staunchest ally.
This trilogy has been very popular in my classroom, and I think my readers will enjoy this final installment. Of course, they may be begging for more!