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Monday, August 19, 2013

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? August 19, 2013

There is still ONE more day to enter my blogiversary giveaway here.



Please visit the amazing blogs: Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers who host this terrific meme each week.

Please click on the picture to go to the book's Goodreads page.

Wonderful Picture Books I read this week

 Absolutely LOVED it!  Miss maple gathers all the seeds that have not sprouted at the end of each summer.  She nurtures them and teaches them about how to be a seed and sets them free in the late spring.  Seems like a metaphor for teaching to me. 


This was probably my favorite book of the week. It is so good that I am ordering a copy and I have already contacted my school librarian about it.  All the crayons in the crayon box write a letter to Duncan (their owner) with some kind of gripe.  Black is sick of being used as an outline, pink feels ignored and red feels over-worked. The illustrations, by the talented Oliver Jeffers, are just perfect (done in crayon of course).


Great Graphic Novels

I am not a Star Wars fan and I did not think I would enjoy this book, but it is fabulous.  Darth Vader, known for being evil and heartless, has a daughter.  It is funny to see the author's view on how Vader might deal with tea parties, moodiness and even dating.  Can you imagine being the boy who tries to date Darth Vader's daughter?  The story and illustrations are just terrific!


Squish becomes obsessed with his new video game, neglecting his sleep and his schoolwork. He even stops reading his beloved comics.  Will this video game take over his whole life?  Kids who like the other Squish books, Baby Mouse, and Lunch Lady will enjoy this book.

Poetry
I really wanted to love this book, but I just found many of the poems to be disconnected and not so funny. However, because of the topics and the illustrations, many kiddos will enjoy it.


Professional Read

Patrick Allen shares his theories and practices in conferring with readers.  This book it written in simple terms with lots of conferring examples.  I good book for those new to conferring with students.

Currently Reading


7 comments:

  1. I totally understand what you mean regarding your thoughts on FORGIVE ME, I MEANT TO DO IT. I didn't love reading that book all the way through, but using it for a mentor text lesson where students wrote their own false apology poems made it absolutely invaluable. Reading a few of the poems here and there is fun, but reading it straight through is a tad tedious.

    THE VIEW FROM SATURDAY is a very special book to me. It resurrected my reading life. That will always be one of my favorite books of all time.

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    1. I can see how using Forgive Me that way would be helpful. I am enjoying The View from Saturday. So nice that you have such a special connection to that book.

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  2. I just requested Miss Maple's Seeds from my pub lib. :)

    I also loved The View from Saturday. It is probably my favorite Newbery winner.

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    1. You will love Miss Maple. I am enjoying The View from Saturday very much so far!

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  3. Loved the 'crayon' book, too. And need to find Miss Maple's Seeds-looks so cute for Autumn. I might revisit Patrick Allen's book-read it a while ago, but I did like it. You read a lot this week, Gigi! Thanks for all! I liked The View from Saturday too!

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    1. I will certainly mis all the reading time the summer offers. You will love Miss Maple!

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  4. I'm reading The Pink Motel by Carol Ryle Brink published in 1959. A children's mid grade book with pen and ink illustrations. I'm very much enjoying it.

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