Caldecott Winners

I've decided to begin collecting a copy of each Caldecott winner for my children and future grandchildren. When I looked at the list, I discovered I already had a few. Some were gifts, others were found in tiny book stores. I don't care about hardback copies; paperback works just as well. Many of these are not considered "popular" but have timeless characteristics that carry them through generations. Read what the Caldecott Medal is all about here.

Here's the list: 1938-present

Well, I thought I could copy and paste the list, but I couldn't so go to the link to see the complete list. I have Where the Wild Things Are, Lon Po-Po, Officer Buckle and Gloria, and Fables.

I can't wait to start ebaying and thrift store searching for other titles! If you know any cheap resources, let me know. I'm not sure if any are out of print...must check Amazon.

Where Does It Go?

Time- it gets away from me before I even know it's happening!

I have recently read Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Enjoyable story about a woman's quest to "find herself" through Italy, India, and Indonesia. Many parts were entertaining and educational; others were a strain to filter through the cultural references. Visit her site to read many other reviews.


I just began a book found on the bargain table at Waldenbooks. It claims to be an international bestseller and the title is familiar but I can't place where I've heard it. Interred With Their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carrell Since I teach a unit of Shakespeare to my students, I think I'll enjoy the references.

Finally, I have to read the most recent book in the young adult series by James Patterson, Max

Any recommendations from my readers?

Making a Dent

I've read quite a few books since my last post. As noted, I received books from interlibrary loan. That was a good experience. I requested 3 and got all 3 within a couple weeks. The downside to it was the cost- $2.60 per book. I guess it's better than buying in the store.

On vacation, I read The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller. I heard about it here.

Then, I started Deadline by Chris Crutcher. This book is on the 2010 high school Sequoyah masterlist. I read all the middle school and high school Sequoyah nominees so I can make recommendations to students. Wow, this book is thought provoking! Well, anything by Chris Crutcher will make you stop and think. Basic plot is an 18 year old senior finds out he has a deadly form of cancer and refuses treatment. He also decides not to tell his family. His family doctor is not legally allowed to tell the family, either. The story that unfolds is about how this kid, who knows his life is short, makes the most of his senior year. It's a tear jerker like none other. But, I think our older teenagers could really pick up on the lessons here. What really makes life important, making decisions, etc.

I then moved to The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. This book is seriously weird! I really didn't care for it but it is freaky in a way that junior kids will love it. No vampires, just people called the Unconsecrated.

Wintergirls is my latest read. It is by Laurie Halse Anderson, one of my favorite authors. In true Anderson fashion, the book is loaded with figurative language and imagery. I am writing down quotes to use for teaching next year. The subject matter is scary and emotionally wrenching. It deals with anorexia and cutting, two habits common among our teenage girls (and some boys). I really liked the writing style despite the disturbing material. It will be VERY popular in my junior high when our library gets a copy!

So, the summer reading list is getting shorter. Has anyone read a good book lately?

Reading Update

Update: I finished the books from my last post. Multiple Blessings was a quick read- 2 days tops. I waded through the Danielle Steel book. It had a different twist than her other books but still had that adult book feel. I am so used to young adult books that I have a hard time with adult books with complex plot and descriptive detail.

I used interlibrary loan for some of the titles on my summer reading list. I haven't done that since college when I needed articles for a research paper. We'll see how it goes. I only requested 3 since I was afraid I'd get them all at once and have to speed read.

We're leaving on vacation next week so I'll be scouring our public library to find a few for the road. I love road trip reading!

What I'm Reading Now

Just finished My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

RUN, don't walk, to your nearest book store or Wal-Mart and get this book! I haven't been this moved by a book in a long time. There is no way the movie will be better; read the book!

Picked up these today at the library:

Multiple Blessings- by Jon and Kate Gosselin
Despite their recent strife, I'm still fascinated with their lives.

Matters of the Heart- by Danielle Steel
I read EVERYTHING by her!

Summer Reading List

Now that the glorious season is here, my reading gear will go up a notch. I love reading a good book with my kids splashing in the pool around me!

I'm just starting my summer reading list and I need help from all of you!

Here is what I have so far:
1. The Senator's Wife- Sue Miller
2. The Wintergirls- Laurie Halse Anderson
3. My Sister's Keeper- Jodi Picoult --Just bought it at Wal-Mart today!
4. City of Ashes and City of Glass (book 2&3 in a series)- Cassandra Clare
5. Graceling- Kristin Cashore
6.?
................

Leave me a comment with your suggestions for summer reading. I need to broaden my horizons so it's okay to suggest something other than vampires :)

Mortal Instruments: Book One

I've grown bored of books with only vampires and have moved on to a combination of vampires, werewolves, faeries, and other fantasy sort of creatures. This led me to the first book in a new series called The Mortal Instruments. At the pleading of 3 8th graders, I read City of Bones in one weekend. I enjoyed it more from a curiosity standpoint than anything. I wanted to know what had propelled these 3 to beg me to read it. It certainly was intriguing with a combination of magic, fantasy, romance, and all kinds of mythical creatures. Thankfully, the 2nd and 3rd books are already released so I can move on to the next one without the months of wait time that usually prevail. The author, Cassandra Clare, has a website dedicated to all of her stuff but this series has it's own site here.

The Help

Kathryn Stockett has written a powerful first novel about the racial division between whites and blacks. My curiosity propelled me to read this 451 pg. book with fervor as I learned about a world so different from 2009. The setting is Jackson, Mississippi, around 1962. Ms. Skeeter is the cotton plantation owner's daughter with a college degree but no prospects for marriage. She moves back home to find her beloved maid, Constantine, gone with no one telling anything about her disappearance. Aibileen is a black maid, raising her 17th white child. She lost her own son to a foolish act of a white person and knows her heart is broken. Minny, Aibileen's best friend has the biggest mouth this side of the Mississippi and has lost plenty of jobs because of it.

These 3 women embark on an adventure destined to open the door to the many stories black maids have to tell about their white families. I was intrigued with the many details of a lifestyle such as this. It is different than a slave/master relationship because the help received a wage but segration was still there with separate bathrooms in white people houses.


The Help is addictively, compulsively readable. I couldn’t put it down. Stockett’s debut is well-written, and it is clear that she really understands Southern life and has made great efforts to understand what life was like for black women who served white families. She presents sad stories that leave a great glimmer of hope, and though she examines our differences and our mistakes, she highlights our humanity to wonderful effect. And while this is a serious book, it also has wonderfully lighthearted moments, humorous moments, and strikingly funny insights into women and their behavior.

I took this review from here.

The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

You've probably heard the story...

Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, discovered he was dying of terminal cancer. He was asked to give a "Last Lecture" before most people knew of his condition. He used that opportunity to focus on achieving your childhood dreams, no matter the obstacles. He wanted to leave something of himself for his children who would never really know their father.

The story is short but poignant. It will make you cry and smile through the tears. It will make you hug your loved ones and thank God for another day.

Quotes I love from this book:
"Time is all you have. And you may find one day that you have less than you think."

"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand."

Sunrise Over Fallujah

A book that will make you rethink your thoughts of war.

House of Night #5 and Down The Rabbit Hole

I wrapped up the 5th House of Night novel last week. It was as good as the other 4 but the first book, Marked, is still my favorite. Rumor has it that there will be a 6th and, based on how Hunted ended, I can see why. Check out the House of Night series for racy vampires!

On to a new book called Down The Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams. This is a new author for me. I did some research on google (is that real research?!?!) and found lots of interesting details. For the young reader who enjoys mystery and suspense, this is a fun and safe book. It doesn't have the allure of horror but maintains a healthy sense of whodunit.

Welcome to Echo Falls. Home of a thousand secrets, where Ingrid Levin-Hill, super sleuth, never knows what will happen next.
Ingrid is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or at least her shoes are. Getting them back means getting involved in a murder investigation rivaling those solved by her idol, Sherlock Holmes, and Ingrid has enough on her plate with club soccer, school, and the plum role of Alice in the Echo Falls production of Alice in Wonderland. But much as in Alice's adventures down the rabbit hole, things in Ingrid's small town keep getting curiouser and curiouser. Her favorite director has a serious accident onstage (but is it an accident?), and the police chief is on Ingrid's tail, grilling her about everything from bike-helmet law to the color of her cleats. Echo Falls has turned into a nightmare, and Ingrid is determined to wake up. Edgar Award–nominated novelist Peter Abrahams builds suspense as a smart young girl finds that her small town isn't nearly as safe as it seems.

Chris Crutcher

I been reading all things Chris lately. He is a border-line young adult author, meaning the characters are teenagers but the content is very mature, making the books more like adult books.

I teach one of his novels, Staying Fat for Sarah Brynes. Remember, I do anythinng I can to push the envelope when it comes to reading literature. I believe if kids are exposed to it in print, they won't be as tempted to try it in "real life." That's just my theory and you certainly don't have to agree with me.

Anywho, back to Chris Crutcher. Recently, I read Sledding Hill and Whale Talk; both were totally different than his other books and from each other. I didn't care for Sledding Hill because of the take on religion. Whale Talk, on the other hand, was aout of this world! This was a book I was reading while cooking supper, giving baths, and other household chores. I would cry and be angry at the same time; I wanted the good guy to win. He does, but not in the way you'd expect.

Visit his website at www.chriscrutcher.com to find out more.

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

This book was my latest obsession. I couldn't put it down. I love this author, especially her book, Speak. I am terrible about writing my own reviews, so check out the one I "stole" from Amazon.

Socially inept Tyler Miller thinks his senior year of high school is going to be a year like no other. After being sentenced to a summer of character building physical labor following a graffiti prank, his reputation at school receives a boost, as do his muscles. Enter super-popular Bethany Milbury, sister of his tormentor, Chip, and daughter of his father's boss. Tyler's newfound physique has attracted her interest and infuriated Chip, leading to ongoing conflicts at school. Likewise, Tyler's inability to meet his volatile father's demands to be an asset, not a liability adds increasing tension. All too quickly, Tyler's life spirals out of control. In the wake of an incident at a wild party that Bethany has invited him to attend, he is left feeling completely isolated at school and alienated at home, a victim of twisted perception. Tyler must tackle the complex issues of integrity, personal responsibility, and identity on his own as he struggles to understand what it means to be a man. His once humorous voice now only conveys naked vulnerability. With gripping scenes and a rousing ending, Anderson authentically portrays Tyler's emotional instability as he contemplates darker and darker solutions to his situation. Readers will rejoice in Tyler's proclamation, I'm not the problem here…I'm tired of feeling like I am. Teenage concerns with sex, alcohol, grades, and family are all tackled with honesty and candor. Once again, Anderson's taut, confident writing will cause this story to linger long after the book is set down.–Erin Schirota, Bronxville Public Library, NY

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

My sister-in-law, Sarah, introduced me to this delightful book. I hadn't heard of the title, but she fondly remembered it from childhood. She was thoughtful enough to send Lillian and Lucas a copy for Valentine's Day. Lillian and I read it twice the night we got it. Lillian loved the silly story and I enjoyed the illustrations. It is about a town called Chewsandswallow where the townspeople get their breakfast, lunch, and dinner from the sky. Life is simple until the fickle weather starts sending hurricanes of rolls, giant pancakes that flatten the school, and meatballs big enough to crush houses. The people must find away to stop the "weather" or leave their town forever. Fun, fun story!

While researching online, I discovered that a computer animated video version will be released in Sept. 2009. Also, there are lesson plans for teaching weather.

Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett

original copyright: 1978

sequel: Pickles for/to Pittsburgh

Modern Day Fairy Tale

Beastly by Alex Flinn is a modern day Beauty and the Beast from the point of view of Beast, aka Kyle Kingsbury. Kyle is a snooty rich kid who attends a prep school in NYC. He and his friends would never think of spending time with someone who was "ugly." At a school dance, Kyle gives an imperfect rose to the plain girl taking tickets at the door and his life changes forever. Later that night, a witch named Kendra visits him and turns him into a beast. Kyle has 2 years to find someone to love him as he is or he will remain a beast forever.

If you like fairy tales, you will like this book. I am a bigger fan of Alex Flinn's other books. In fact, I teach Breathing Underwater in 8th grade English. Each of her books deals with a pertinent social issue facing teens today. Some books have mild language but nothing more than the average teen hears on a daily basis. Pull off your prude panties to read Breathing Underwater!

Books I've Read Lately

As always, I'm knee deep in young adult literture. 2 of my recent favorites are from Catherine Gilbert Murdock. The voice of the main character, D.J., is strong and true. In Dairy Queen, D.J. is the only girl in a family of athletic boys. While she is no wimp, she has been the "responsible" one able to take over the family dairy farm after her dad had hip surgery. D.J. has to struggle with her love of the farm, her resentment towards her father, and an annoying boy named Brian who happens to be from a rival town. When a close family friend sends Brian to the Schwenk Farm for some lessons in hard work and responsibility, D.J. is the one stuck with the teaching. What unfolds is way more than you'd expect. To continue the life of D.J. and her family, check out the sequel, Off Season.

By the way, all pictures are courtesy of Amazon. Head over there and check out the reviews before you decide to buy or rent.


I did venture out to adult books *gasp* with the reading of To My Dearest Friends by Patricia Volk. This was a spontaneous grab at the library and it proved enjoyable.

Review“To My Dearest Friends has an irresistible premise: Two weeks after Roberta ‘Bobbi’ Bloom dies, her lawyer calls her two best friends, Alice Vogel and Nanny Wunderlich, to his office. Why? Because Bobbi has given them keys to a safety deposit box. And now the lawyer has a letter for them from Bobbi. Alice and Nanny–who have nothing in common but their friendship with the deceased–go to the bank. In the box, they find another letter. A love letter. To Bobbi. Undated. With no further instructions. . . . Obviously, Alice and Nanny can’t agree what to do next. But in the course of not agreeing they have reasons to get together. And we get two treats along the way: wonderfully sharp dialogue and observations, and a quick but deep look into the lives of two New York women. . . . I hoovered this book in an evening. . . . How does it turn out? With a fantastic surprise. . . . To My Dearest Friends is an addictive urban adventure story. Nancy Drew for the post-menopausal. Chick-lit for grown-up chicks. And, just maybe, the first novel about New York women to ring a bell for readers in the ‘burbs since The Devil Wore Prada. You don’t have to be 50-plus to enjoy To My Dearest Friends. Or even a woman. You just have to like ‘smart.’”–Jesse Kornbluth, HeadButler.com


My family thanks me for finishing this next book because most of them were ignored while I was reading it. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins was gripping, disturbing, and too close to reality. However, the story was impossible to put down and I devoured the pages, determined to know the ending. As I turned the last few pages, I started to realize there was no way the book could end this simply and, of course, it couldn't. I understand this is to be a trilogy. The 2nd book is available for pre-order on Amazon.

How can I explain the plot? I guess I will say picture a North America in the distant future. It 's hard to tell how far because, and this is the the disturbing part, it could be closer than we think. In this new North America, there are 13 Districts controlled by 1 capital.

(from Entertainment Weekly)
As negative Utopias go, Suzanne Collins has created a dilly. The United States is gone. North America has become Panem, a TV-dominated dictatorship run from a city called the Capitol. The rest of Panem is divided into 12 Districts (the former 13th had the bad judgment to revolt and no longer exists). The yearly highlight in this nightmare world is the Hunger Games, a bloodthirsty reality TV show in which 24 teenagers chosen by lottery two from each District fight each other in a desolate environment called the ''arena.'' The winner gets a life of ease; the losers get death. The only ''unspoken rule'' is that you can't eat the dead contestants. Let's see the makers of the movie version try to get a PG-13 on this baby.

I have only muddied the waters as to what this book is about but I will say it is worth your read even if the plot does have striking similarity to other books (1984, Animal Farm, "The Lottery")