Monday, April 30, 2012

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?



This meme was started by Sheila at Book Journey and the kids' version borrowed from the wonderful ladies at Teach Mentor Texts.


Did a bit of reading since I've been sick this weekend.  I was on a bit of a Jennifer Holm kick.  I read about 5 or 6 Babymouse books.  I had only read two of them before this weekend.  Well, I'm a huge fan now!!!  I also picked up three of her chapter books.  I read Our Only May Amelia.  Wow, what a book.  I loved it.  Once again, I have found another historical fiction book that I really enjoyed.  I guess that up until I joined Twitter and following some wonderful blogs, I wasn't reading the right historical fiction books.  Up next is The Trouble With May Amelia by Jennifer Holm and Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf, also by Jennifer Holm.


I also read Floors by Patrick Carman.  It was a very interesting book.  It reminded me of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory without the chocolate.  I couldn't put it down once I got into the story.  I was sad to get to the end of the book because I knew that I would have to wait until September 1st for the second book to come out.  I can't wait to show the book trailer, that was posted at Watch.Connect.Read by Mr. Schu, to my students!


On my rereading, I also finished The Red Pyramid and started The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan.  I can't wait until The Serpent's Shadow is in my hands!!


In my post before, I made the goal to post at least three times this week.  I'm trying to get better at posting consistently.  Due to Book Fair and my sickness I've been slacking.  Hopefully I'm on the mend and will be back to normal soon.


Stacey
@libraryjo92

Sunday, April 29, 2012

It's No Fun Being Sick!!!

I survived Book Fair without being sick, which is unusual.  But the week after, I was not so lucky.  I was feeling fine until Wednesday when my right ear started throbbing inside.  My school nurse said that she saw fluid behind my ear.  So I went to the doctor on Thursday, and my inside my ear was so swollen she couldn't see anything!  She wanted me to take off Friday, but I hadn't seen those kids for a real class in two weeks due the Book Fair!  I survived by not stopping, because if I did I would collapse!  I've been slacking with my blog posting.  In fact, this is the first time I turned my computer on since Thursday!!  I'm making a goal of posting at least three times this week.


Stacey
@libraryjo92

Monday, April 23, 2012

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

This meme was started by Sheila at Book Journey and the kids' version borrowed from the wonderful ladies at Teach Mentor Texts.


Once again I can't believe it is Monday again.  I didn't do a lot of reading because of book fair.  It was a great book fair.  I sold 62 copies of Pete the Cat I Love My White Shoes!!  I think that I was a little burnt out of reading kids books this weekend.  I read two short kids books.  They were Marty Mcguire Digs Worms by Kate Messner and The Egg of Misery: Fangbone, Third Grade Barbarian by Michael Rex. I really loved both of them.  I'll review them later on this week.  


I really needed a brake from kids books, so I read an adult book this weekend.  I actually felt guilty for reading it.  But I got over it and enjoyed the book.


I'm going to the library on Thursday, I'll post about what I pick up.  I'm looking forward to getting back to normal.  Though I do know one thing that I will be reading this week, my Google Reader!  I've been neglecting it greatly this past week!  I'm scared to see how many posts I'm behind!  Happy Reading


Stacey
@libraryjo92

Monday, April 16, 2012

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?



This meme was started by Sheila at Book Journey and the kids' version borrowed from the wonderful ladies at Teach Mentor Texts.

I can hardly believe that it is Monday again!!  I hit the ground running last week because I was coming back from Spring Break and having to make sure everything was ready for Book Fair to start on Thursday.  To say the least, I've been stressed.  As a result, I haven't been doing a lot of reading.  I've been doing a lot of rereading.  See my post below.  It's because of the Book Fair that I'm doing most of my rereading.  Good thing that I like all the books that I'm rereading.

I'm still rereading The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan.  I'm rereading this in preparation for the third in the series which is published on May 1st.  I also want to read One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia.  It's a historical fiction book that sounded interesting.  Click here to go to a description of the book on www.goodreads.com. (If you haven't found Goodreads yet, it is a wonderful site and you should check it out.)

Last week I read No Passengers Beyond This Point by Gennifer Choldenko and Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood.  I enjoyed both for different reasons.  No Passengers Beyond This Point is one of the few books that I can say, that the ending took me totally by surprise!  I like when a book can still surprise me.  Glory Be is a great introduction to the racial issues that our country has had to deal with.  It touches on the issues without getting too in depth or to vivid.

Happy Reading!  Feel free to share what you are reading or your thoughts about the few books.

Hopefully this week will be calmer, so that I can post a little bit more.

Stacey
@libraryjo92

Sunday, April 15, 2012

It's A-OK to Reread in April!


Jen, over at Teach Mentor Texts says that "It's A-OK to Reread in April!"  Well, that is what I'm doing a lot of Thursday and Friday of last week and all of this coming week.  It is Book Fair at my school!!  I love this time.  Seeing kids get so excited to come in and purchase books.  My saying, that all my kids know, is "It's a Book Fair, not a stuff fair."  When I look at the list of merchandise sold it is mostly books, which makes me happy!  The best moment was when one of my kids on Friday bought The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate.  She sat down,  started reading and didn't move for 20 minutes.  She didn't want to go back to class because she knew she would have to stop reading!


I've been doing a lot of rereading picture books to my primary grades.  The ones that I've reread and will continue to reread this week are:  The Ducking Gets a Cookie by Mo Willems, Alien in Underpants Save the World by Claire Freedman, Pete the Cat I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin, and I Wanna New Room by Karen Kaufman Orloff.


I think I've reread the Pete the Cat book enough times that I don't have to look at the words anymore!  Hard to believe how many times that I have reread and I'm not tired of it yet; the sign of a great book!


Stacey
@libraryjo92

Saturday, April 14, 2012

A Rather Frustrating Week

This was my first week back from Spring Break.  I started the week on Tuesday.  I was amazed how fast I went from being relaxed and enjoying Spring Break to being so stressed I could hardly see straight!!  My assistant went home sick on Tuesday morning.  I only had three class, so it was fine.  She was home again on Wednesday.  Well, what it was.  At least I had a sub for her.  I would have had to cover a class for 45 minutes in the morning, but the sub did that for me.  I had the check in six classes books, and be ready to start teaching at 9:30am.  I taught straight through until 11:45am.  It should have been my lunch break, but I agreed to have two classes of 5th Grade come down and check out before the books were covered because of the book fair. That took up until 12:30pm, which is when my next class started.  I taught straight through until 2:45pm.  I couldn't even take a break because I had to start setting up my Book Fair.  I had a few great teachers who helped me get started setting up.  Then my wonderful special education para-educator stayed with me and helped me finish setting up.  I would not have gotten finished as fast as I did without her.


I'm trying to get some rest this weekend, but this was the last week to turn in book reports for my reading incentive program.  And did they ever turn in reports!!!  I think that I read over 1000 book reports tonight.  I'm really glad it is the last week.  Now on to planning the reward trip.  I already have the bowling trip lined up, but I need to find a place for lunch!


I haven't been doing a lot of reading for myself this week.  I'm frustrated that I haven't had the time to read for me.  It wasn't that I couldn't make the time, it was I didn't have any time.  I've been doing a lot of rereading because of reading book to my primary classes from the book fair.  I'll post about them tomorrow.


Stacey
@libraryjo92

Monday, April 9, 2012

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?


This meme was started by Sheila at Book Journey and the kids' version borrowed from the wonderful ladies at Teach Mentor Texts.


It's hard to believe it is Monday already.  So sad that my Spring Break is coming to an end.  But I have Book Fair starting this week, so I'll hit the ground running this week.


But of course I will still be reading.  I posted here about what I was reading last week.  This week I've got some picture books and two chapter books that I'm going to try to read.  This doesn't even count the books I will decided to read once I open up the cases and boxes from Book Fair.


The two chapter books that I read this weekend were advertised in the Book Fair flyer.  I always like to try and read some of those, so I can know what the books are about.  They are No Passengers Beyond This Point by Gennifer Choldenko and Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood.  I'm excited to read both because they have been on my to-read list.  Both were interesting in their own way.  I was truly surprised at the ending to   No Passengers Beyond This Point.  I don't know if kids will understand the big picture of the book.  Glory Be was another good historical fiction book.  I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it like I did Lions of Little Rock and Crow.  As a result of all of the great recommendations from my "friends" on Twitter I'm learning to enjoy and appreciate historical fiction books.  I'm beginning to think that maybe all these years I wasn't reading the right historical fiction books.  


I'm participating in Jen's (Teach Mentor Texts) It's A-Ok to Reread in April.  I posted about it here.  I read my three picture books and I'm in the process of rereading The Red Pyramid.  I always reread books when the next one in the series is coming out.  I've got two books to read before May 1st.


I'm also reading:  Amelia Rules: Funny Stories by Jimmy Gownley, Five Little Monkeys Go Shopping by Eileen Christelow, Big Hugs, Little Hugs by Felicia Bond, and Naming Liberty by Jane Yolen.


What are you reading this week?  Check back later in the week to see my thoughts about what I've read.


Stacey
@libraryjo92

Saturday, April 7, 2012

It's A-OK To Reread in April!


Once again Jen, over at Teach Mentor Texts had another great idea!  She says that "It's A-OK to Reread in April!"  I love this idea because I'm a big rereader!  I always find myself going back and rereading my favorites to my students.  I look at it as sharing a book they might not be familiar with because many of my students were not alive when the book was first published. (I really just made myself feel old!)  I also reread when I'm in a reading rut.  It helps me get back into and enjoy reading again.  I think this is because I know what is going to happen so I can stop and start without losing my place in the story.  My go to reread is A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle.  This was one of my favorite books when I was younger and I still love it today.  In fact I just reread it a few months ago when I was sick.

The three picture books that I'm rereading today are Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend and Scaredy Squirrel At The Beach by Melanie Watt and How I Spent My Summer Vacation by Mark Teauge.  I'm going to start rereading The Red Pyramid by Rick Rordan.  Since the next book in the Kane Chronicles, The Serpent's Shadow, is published on May 1st I need to reread the first two.  If the next book in a series is coming out I always have to reread the previous books before I can start on the current book.  Does anyone do this too, or is it just me?

Happy reading and rereading!

Stacey
@libraryjo92

Friday, April 6, 2012

What I Read So Far This Week!

I got to go visit my family for the past few days.  It is wonderful to see them and spend time with them.  But it is always great to come home.  Even thought I was gone I still took quite a few books to read.  And I even bought a few!  It's a seven hour drive to get from my house to family, so I had LOTS of time to read.  


One of my students (second grade) told me I had to read Disney After Dark by Ridley Pearson.  She had really fall in love the this series (Kingdom Keepers) and her told me as a surprise over Spring Break she was going to a Ridley Pearson book signing.  Can't wait to her about her experience and excitement over meeting an author for the first time!!  I enjoyed the book and will pick up the rest in the series over the summer.  


I also read The Humming Room by Ellen Potter.  I liked it a lot, but wanted more at the ending.  It was a very fast read.  I also read Smile by Raina Telgeneier.  How did I miss this book when it first came out??? I loved this one!  After reading it I now know why the book is never on my shelf!  I also just finished Dead-End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos.  I was glad that I read it, but was not totally in love with it.


While I was gone I purchased a few books.  My favorite purchase was The Duckling Gets a Cookie by Mo Willems!  I was so glad to find two copies, one for school and one for me!  I just LOVE LOVE any pigeon books and this was just great!!  I also purchase my own copy of I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen.  This is one of my new favorites.  


I didn't know that Jane O'Connor was turning Fancy Nancy into a chapter book.  I found and bought the first in the series:  Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth.  It was a cute read.  I was glad that she is still the same character that was in all the picture books.  I have a few girls in mind who will love this book.


I didn't think that I would get a lot of reading done since I was going to be visiting family, but now that I wrote this post, I realize I did.  


A-Okay to Reread in April!Jen, over at Teach Mentor Texts had another great idea!  She says that "It's A-OK to Reread in April!"  Check back for my post on Saturday to find out what I'm rereading!

Monday, April 2, 2012

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?


This meme was started by Sheila at Book Journey and the kids' version borrowed from the wonderful ladies at Teach Mentor Texts.

Since I started Spring Break on Friday, I treated myself to a weekend of reading.  Though on Saturday, I had to clean my house.  So I bribed myself with reading.  If I cleaned for an hour I could read for 15 minutes.

I read a really great chapter book over the weekend, The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine.
The Lions of Little Rock  
I highly recommend this book.  A great historical fiction book!  It's about two girls that form a unlikely friendship, who are separated by race, during the tumultuous integration of Little Rock schools in 1958.  Susan Dee (@literacydocent) and I were having a great discussion on Twitter about pairing this book with Little Rock Girl 1957 by Shelley Tougas.  This would help kids build background knowledge and understand the events in the story.

Susan Dee is a great person to follow on Twitter.  Also take a look at her blog (www.thebookmavenshaven.blogspot.com).

I also read some great picture books this week!  My top five picture books in  no particular order are:

1.  Zero the Hero by Joan Holub
2.  Kali's Song by Jeanette Winter
3.  Love, Mouserella by David Ezra Stein 
(great for teaching letter writing)
4.  There Are No Cats In This Book by Viviane Schwarz
5.  Piggy Bunny by Rachel Vail


Looking forward to some great reads this week.  My to read pile this week includes:  The Humming Room by Ellen Potter, Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos, and whatever else strikes me.  I'll post later on in the week with an update.

Happy Reading!  Please share what you are reading or what you think of the books I read.

Stacey
@libraryjo92



Sunday, April 1, 2012

Sunday Again!!

It's Sunday once again, and I'm still wondering how it got here so fast!  But this Sunday is different because I'm on SPRING BREAK!!!!  It is so nice to relax and enjoy Sunday.  My Goodreads Challenge is keeping me very busy!  I'm very proud of myself because I've read 393 new to me books so far this year.  I have found so many great books thanks to the blogs that I read and the great people that I follow on Twitter.  I feel like a better Media Specialist because I'm being exposed to such great books and I'm getting them into the hands of my students.  This has turned into a big thank you post because I feel in the past month, I've grown so much and learned so much!  Soon I'll post a list of the some of my favorite blogs and people I follow on Twitter.  But for now I must go enjoy this relaxing Sunday!!!!


Stacey
@libraryjo92