tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19469243827780839782024-03-18T20:50:56.017-07:00Babbling About BooksBabbling of an ordinary person about texts I am reading so I can actually remember WHAT I've read.BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.comBlogger165125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-73860620883883653542017-02-11T16:21:00.001-08:002017-02-11T16:21:23.565-08:00Ghost by Jason ReynoldsOne of the first adolescent novels I have read this year was <i><b>Ghost</b></i> by Jason Reynolds. Though I only liked the book, I would highly recommend it to my students. Ghost is a character with plenty of natural running talent who accidentally ends up on a top-notch track team. His story is tragic and his life somewhat haunting; yet, the mentoring and friendships formed by the end of the book are hopeful, realistic, and uplifting.<br />
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I didn't make the connection that Jason Reynolds also wrote <i><b>The Boy in the Black Suit</b></i>--another book I have read and loved. If memory serves me correctly, <i>The Boy in the Black Suit</i> is more an upper middle school/high school age book. I would put <i>Ghost </i>in the hands of students in fifth through eighth grade. Visit Jason Reynolds's author site for more information--click <a href="http://www.jasonwritesbooks.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-60691801801437605452017-01-07T06:04:00.002-08:002017-01-07T06:04:46.865-08:00In The Shadow of LakecrestI actually read the Kindle First selection I made DURING the month it was available. The book I chose this month was Elizabeth Blackwell's <b><i>In the Shadow of Lakecrest</i></b>. <br />
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I'm getting ready to do a cooperative Roaring 20's project at school, so I thought the 1928 setting would be a nice adult compliment. I gave this book four stars (of five), but more like a 3.5. The book had a great plot, but I never connected with the characters. <br />
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<i><span style="color: blue;">"Stop!"</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: blue;">Strange, to think that was the first word my future husband ever spoke to me, as if he were warning me away from what was to come.</span></i><br />
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Well--you both should have run away from each other. There was much conflict in this novel, but I felt the characters' reactions were underplayed and underdeveloped. My husband nearly killed me. Oh well. I forgive him. Let's spoon and go back to sleep. <br />
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I did love the overall creepy, mysterious tone of the novel--pretty dark, but in a well done way that propelled the story and not hovered over me like a dark cloud.<br />
<br />BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-22924415075408017412016-12-29T18:45:00.000-08:002016-12-29T18:52:58.989-08:00New Year & a Re-StartI was reading some book blogs, and many of the 2017 reading challenges have sign-ups with links to other blogs. I've decided (over the past four or five months) that I need to start writing more to reach a long-term goal--I haven't added anything in 2.5 years to this blog.<br />
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So I will start by combining my love for reading with these challenges. I don't do "New Year's Resolutions," but I have set a goal of a minimum of one post per week. Ideally, there will be a couple since I read about 100 or so books a year.</div>
BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-34204820482928637622014-06-30T07:28:00.003-07:002016-12-29T18:45:11.904-08:00When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip HopI sat in the library one afternoon for about two hours looking at picture books. Sometimes I find books I can use with my older students. I also just love the use of language and the use of art found in so many of these books. One book I came across was When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop by Laban Carrick Hill. Illustrations were by Theodore Taylor III.<br />
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This is a non-fiction picture book. It would be great if teachers could do this in reading and music class. I am not schooled on the background of Hip Hop, but this book is a great introduction. </div>
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BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-12501817511012449232014-06-30T07:19:00.002-07:002014-06-30T07:19:54.950-07:00Three Times LuckyI have a stack of books I brought home to read this summer. The more I read, the better I can recommend books to my students. Wish my other ELA counterparts felt the same way . . . but I digress. I chose <i><b>Three Times Lucky</b></i> from my stack because 1) it was a Newbery Honor I had not yet read; 2) it was one of the shorter books which I needed for my time frame; and 3) I loved the cover art (more on that later). This book was wonderful! I would highly recommend it to most any of my junior high students. I loved the small town setting of Turnage's novel. I loved the feisty protagonist--Miss Moses LoBeau (aka "Mo"). It had mystery. It had action. I was full of love. Great book!<br />
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I loved the way Sheila Turnage revealed the story. She has another book out (released February 2014) called <i><b>The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing</b></i> which I may try to sneak in before school starts. Turnage's website may be found by clicking <a href="http://www.sheilaturnage.com/SheilaTurnage/Desktop.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Interesting thing about her site, it just barely mentions that she won the 2013 Newbery Honor for <i><b>Three Times Lucky</b></i>. Love humility!<br />
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Gilbert Ford did the cover art for this novel. His website may be found by clicking <a href="http://www.gilbertford.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a>. He created the cover for <i><b>Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library</b></i> (another book on my To-Read list). <i>Mr. Ferris and His Wheel</i>, which will be released in September 2014, is his latest illustrated book.BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-14271229672602468592014-06-12T04:30:00.000-07:002014-06-12T04:30:12.343-07:00ScowlerI randomly chose this book off of the Reading Hub book challenge list. Though I read later that this book has earned several accolades, I had never heard of the book <b><i>Scowler</i></b> or author Daniel Kraus before. I listened to this audiobook on my way to school.<br />
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And thank goodness it was an audiobook in my vehicle, in the daylight, on my way to church/school! Creepy, creepy, creepy! This book would have terrified me reading at home at night--and it was soooo awesome! The older I get, I have a hard time with scary books, but I really LOVED this one. It was scary physically and psychologically. Listening to the reading of the text made it super creepy. Some of the noises made on the audio really left a mark in my brain--very effective. <br />
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Kraus burrows into your brain in that Stephen King sort of way. Click <a href="http://www.danielkraus.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a> to visit his website.BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-10374262240242329072014-06-11T07:54:00.001-07:002014-06-11T07:54:36.287-07:00The Year of Billy MillerAnother book I read for our Newbery book club meeting was The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes. This is a really sweet book. Students will find the reading level very low. My fourth grader could have easily read this in second grade--the age of our novel's protagonist.<br />
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I enjoyed how each section of the book was told from the perspective of different people--Billy's mom, dad, sister. Just a sweet, feel-good book perfect for the end of summer as students get ready to tackle a new school year adventure.<br />
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Check out author Kevin Henke's website: click <a href="http://www.kevinhenkes.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-65733010221504917182014-06-10T04:10:00.000-07:002014-06-10T04:10:04.372-07:00I Am the MessengerAfter reading Markus Zusak's <b><i>The Book Thief</i></b>, I wanted to read more by this author. I picked up the audio version of <b><i>I Am the Messenger</i></b>. This book was equally as lengthy, but much easier to read/listen.<br />
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The audio had me laughing aloud in my car on my way to work. It is such twisted humor (how could you laugh through a bank robbery scene?). The "character" that made me laugh most was the discussion of the Doorman--Ed Kennedy's (protagonist's) dog. But this book is not a comedy. It is a mystery and a mission. The descriptive language Zusak uses is beautiful.<br />
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This book is not for students younger than high school--language (tons!) and sexual content. <br />
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I am definitely a Zusak fan and plan to read other books by this author. Click <a href="http://zusakbooks.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a> for author's website. Love the commentary with the photos!BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-57441424963033217952014-06-10T03:55:00.000-07:002014-06-10T03:55:26.126-07:00Reading the BibleI took another online course through the virtual learning community at the University of Dayton. These courses count toward my catechesis certifications. The required text for my New Testament course was <i><b>Reading the Bible</b></i> by Timothy Carmody.<br />
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This book is amongst one of my favorites that I have purchased while taking these courses. So informative and interesting. Carmody helps add a richness to reading the Bible. Highly recommend.BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-39096531989717035852014-06-10T03:48:00.002-07:002014-06-10T03:48:48.849-07:00One Came HomeI do a monthly book club with students at my school. Each spring, we do a Newbery session. Students read one or more of the Newbery award books for the year. <i><b>One Came Home</b></i> by Amy Timberlake captured one of those awards.<br />
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My son and I read this aloud together. The book was interesting and unexpected. My son did not like the book the first half, but the action picked up in the second half. The eighth grader who read the book felt the same way we did. Stick with this book until the end.<br />
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Check out Amy Timberlake's website by clicking <a href="http://amytimberlake.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a>. BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-32966252062403123372014-06-10T03:35:00.001-07:002014-06-10T03:35:06.693-07:00The Wizard of OzI helped work with some fourth grade readers this year. One of the novels they read (and I read with them) was <i><b>The Wizard of Oz</b></i> by Frank Baum. <br />
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As is typically the case, the book is pretty different than the movie. This group of students seemed to like it, and they enjoyed picking out the differences between book and screen. (Though this exercise did create some confusion when it came their "test" time). I did not realize that this was the first book in a long series by L. Frank Baum. Personally, I am not interested int he sequels. The book, however, prompted me to put the Gregory Maguire book <i><b>Wicked</b></i> back on my "To Read" list. BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-85616980088713511982014-06-09T06:56:00.000-07:002014-06-09T06:56:13.074-07:00The NativityI was talking with our school librarian. We got on a tangent about how we "pretty up" Christ's crucifixion. She said the concept reminded her of a book. The next week she brought it to me. <b><i>The Nativity</i></b> by Julie Vivas tells the lovely nativity story through pictures that hint at how difficult the journey was for Mary and Joseph.<br />
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The artwork in this picture book is spectacular. It is whimsical, reverent, and funny all at the same time. One of my favorite scenes in the book is when poor Joseph is trying to help a very pregnant Mary mount the donkey. If you have been pregnant and ever thought about this--you would understand the predicament. The cover of the book (above) shows one of the pictures. Below is another.<br />
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I think I want to do a picture book study of the nativity with my students next year--and this book will definitely be on my list.</div>
<br />BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-49965985031645466142014-06-09T06:50:00.001-07:002014-06-09T06:50:19.458-07:00After the RainI had a group of seventh graders that had already read the novel the student teacher was teaching, so I pulled this group of five and we did enrichment. They flew through the novel I gave them before their peers were even half way done with theirs. I had a classroom set of <i><b>After the Rain</b></i> by Norma Fox Mazer. I saw this was on the list of recommended novels in our revised graded course of study, so I asked the group if they wanted to read this with me for the first time. They were eager.<br />
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Long story short--they hated it. We stopped in the middle. I have <u>never</u> done that before. I did plug through to the end of the novel to see what we were missing. It got slighly better, but I would never teach this novel in junior high. First, the main character was too old and at a different stage in her life for the kids to relate to her. She was a high schooler with boy issues--not an appropriate forcus for my Catholic school middle schoolers. Was this book about coming of age or about death? The focus was off. I could not relate to the flat characters.<br />
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I flat out did not find this book interesting nor well-written--even though it is an award winning book (a 1987 Newbery Award).BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-9528458335491028802014-06-09T06:39:00.001-07:002014-06-09T06:39:44.452-07:00Etiquette & EspionageI printed out a list of the 2014 Hub Reading Challenge. Etiquette and Espionage was the first book (well . . . actually audio book) that I checked out. I had never heard of this novel nor was I familiar with Gail Carriger. I really did like this book, though I am not a fan of that Victorian Period. I'm not a girly-girl, and this novel was not a girly-girl novel.<br />
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This was not the damsel in distress novel. The main character is a smart, funny, and spunky tomboy whose family tries to conform her to societal norms. The finishing school she attends certainly was not what she (nor the reader) expects. <br />
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I had never heard of the term "steampunk" before I read this book. Carriger's website gives some background to this genre. Very interesting concept . . . who knew I would love it. I would be interested in reading more books from this series, but they are not on the top of my "To Read" list. It would be on my "To Read" list if I could get a year's sabbatical to just read--ha!<br />
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Click <a href="http://gailcarriger.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a> to visit Gail Carriger's website.BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-40747432589244980612014-06-09T06:26:00.001-07:002014-06-09T06:26:57.780-07:00If the World Were a VillageI teacher friend and I were talking about books, and something prompted her to show me the book <i>If the World Were a Village</i> by David Smith. It is a relatively short picture book that puts our world into terms of a village of 100 people. It talks about the numbers of males/females, religions, ethnicities, etc. <br />
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The copy I viewed was a little older--newer editions have since been published. If I teach religion next school year, I will definately get this to add that perspective to my students' education.<br />
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Here is a cute YouTube video of this concept: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtYjUv2x65g" target="_blank">If the World Were a Village</a> .BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-6163915645630251642014-03-20T03:35:00.000-07:002014-03-23T03:51:39.194-07:00The Book ThiefI had purchased The Book Thief two summers ago and started reading it in the car while waiting for my girls to get done with cross country practice. Then school happened. Reading too sporatic and disjointed. So I picked the book up again--but I had to reread the first 150 pages. <br />
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Wow! Why did I ever stop reading this book?!?!? It is such an awesome story, but the way it is told lifts it to another level. The narrator, Death, tells the story of a young German girl during WWII. Given the timeframe of the setting, the narrator Death, and the sheer length--this novel will not be that uplifting, mindless read I sometimes crave. Students have a renewed interest in the novel since the movie just came out. I am hesitant to recommend this book to my students because I think most will get frustrated. A few of my higher-level, avid readers completed it and loved it.<br />
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I am reading another Markus Zusak (<a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/features/markuszusak/about-the-author/" target="_blank">brief author info</a>) novel--<i><b>The Messenger</b></i>--that absolutely <u><b>would not</b></u> be appropriate for junior high students (sexual content and foul language). If I have a student that wants to read this novel, I secure their parents' permission because of the language used (though most of the swearing is uttered in German).BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-59767385789287873702014-03-18T03:53:00.000-07:002014-03-23T04:05:45.481-07:00The Boy on the Wooden BoxWe are completing our "Holocaust" reads with both the seventh and eighth grade students. I just finished <i>The Book Thief</i>. So I picked up another book--Leon Leyson's <i><b>The Boy on the Wooden Box</b></i>. I think I've had my fill for a while.<br />
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I actually listened to this book on audio (which won an award) during my short commute to and from school. Though I am a visual learner, this audio held my focus. I would recommend this book to some of my more mature students who are interested in the Holocaust. I would preface their read by reminding them that Leyson's story is an example of how God works in the most mysterious way. I lost count how many times he was within death's grip and survived because of split-second decisions.<br />
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Leyson died one year ago (January 2013). I want to peruse this site (<a href="http://www.deathcamps.info/Leyson/" target="_blank">Little Leyson</a>), but I think I will do this when I am certain no one will interrupt me. BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-30483094958013813332014-02-18T06:31:00.000-08:002014-02-18T06:31:00.233-08:00far far awayI picked up Tom McNeal's book <u>Far Far Away</u>. I am not sure why I put it on my "To Read" list, but I saw later that it was a National Book Award finalist. I read this book this past weekend--which speaks to how I could not put this book down. One of my favorite quotes was the first line: "<i>What follows is the strange and fateful tale of a boy, a girl, and a ghost</i>." At first, I was afraid this was like the Gaiman book I read (<span style="font-size: x-small;">well written, but I'm just not into those types of books</span>), but when I found out the ghost was Jacob Grimm--well I was intrigued. This book had it all--mystery, spookiness, love (but not mushy), family issues, fairy tales, etc. It really is a beautiful book.<br />
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Another quote I loved made me think of the small town where I grew up: "<i>Problem is, in a town like this, the appearance of doing something wrong can be as bad as actually doing it</i>" (110). Oh how true! <br />
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I third quote from this adolescent lit novel that applies even more to adults is the quote: "<i>Sometimes avoiding something can give it more and more meaning rather than less and less</i>" (39). This quote probably has a little more universal appeal than the previous two mentioned.<br />
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Tom McNeal's author site is located <a href="http://mcnealbooks.com/home.aspx" target="_blank">HERE</a>. I would, without hesitation, read another McNeal book. Highly recommend this one.BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-52232289020519526062014-02-16T04:25:00.004-08:002014-02-16T04:25:35.947-08:00Flora and UlyssesI just finished the 2014 Newbery Award winning book <b><u>Flora and Ulysses</u> by Kate DiCamillo</b>. This book reminds me a little of her other Newbery honor book <u>Because of Winn Dixie</u> (<span style="font-size: x-small;">not to be confused with her other Newbery win for <u>The Tale of Despereaux</u></span>). We have an unlikely "animal" who comes in a helps our protagonist and mends some damaged relationships. It, like Winn Dixie, is a tale of love for others--and ***SMALL SPOILER ALERT*** the animal doesn't die at the end (<span style="font-size: x-small;">my son's major complaint about books with animals</span>).<br />
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I would suggest this book to students in the fifth through eighth grade students. It is a little quirky, and very fun. There were several quotes or moments in the book that struck me as an adult. One of the quotes can be found toward the end of the novel: <span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">"<i>This I did not expect at all. It is what I love about life, that things happen which I do not expect.</i>" What a wonderful sentiment!</span><br />
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Visit DiCamillo's website for more about her books, her life, and her philosophy on writing. Click <a href="http://www.katedicamillo.com/index.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
<br />BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-59104408113765742422014-02-10T04:34:00.000-08:002014-02-16T04:35:10.483-08:00A Time to KillI purchased one of <b>John Grisham</b>'s newest books, <u>Sycamore Road</u>, for my father for Christmas (his request). I did not realize it was the second in a series book. <b><u>A Time to Kill</u> </b>was first published in 1989--so it took nearly 25 years to come out with the second one. Since I wanted to read the book I had bought for dad, I thought I would read <u>A Time to Kill</u> first.<br />
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Overall, I loved the book--the plot, the characters, the setting, etc. However, at 544 pages I wanted to scream "Enough with the details!" I am a poor reader when it comes to skimming. I feel if my eyes do not cover every word and my brain does not process those words, I will miss something important. I more proficient reader could skim those "boring parts" and finish this book in half the time. <br />
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I just received notice from my library that I can load the sequel onto my Kindle. It is 100 pages shorter, but I am not sure I can devote 450 pages of reading at this point. May have to wait until summer when school is out . . . but I am anxious to read it!BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-82071946797453603432014-01-28T03:24:00.000-08:002014-02-02T03:38:43.938-08:00Ship BreakerThe novel <u>Ship Breaker</u> by Paolo Bacigalupi has been sitting on my classroom bookshelf since last spring's book fair at the school. I try to keep books that will appeal to a wide range of readers, and this seemed to fit a gap I had when purchasing books. It also has won a number of awards, too.<br />
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This book was graphic (<span style="font-size: x-small;">enough</span>) to those students who love blood-n-guts. It never went over that edge, but it certainly kept me reading through squinted eyes a few times (<span style="font-size: x-small;">as if squinting my eyes will make me reading something that is graphic appear to be less graphic in my head--ha! ha!</span>). It is gritty, but realistically so. I loved the moral dilemmas the main character faced and struggled to choose and maintain his path. This book is not for the reader that prefers pretty princesses in tiaras and handsome young princes carrying beautiful glass slippers. </div>
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See Baciglupi's website by clicking <a href="http://windupstories.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Not super current, but provides more information for those interested.</div>
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<u>The Drowned Cities</u> is the follow-up book to <u>Ship Breaker</u>. I think the stories are related, but I do not think the author calls it a "sequel." I loved <u>Ship Breaker</u> enough that I have added <u>The Drowned Cities</u> to my "To Read" list.<br />
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Interesting side note--ship breakers are not fiction. 60 Minutes did a story on this horrible lifestyle (click <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-ship-breakers-of-bangladesh/" target="_blank">HERE</a> for to view the link). Heartbreaking.</div>
BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-61799173736132482162014-01-21T03:11:00.000-08:002014-02-02T03:11:44.905-08:00The Ocean at the End of the LaneEven though I really did not like the first Neil Gaiman novel I read (<u>The Graveyard Book</u>), I had seen/read some buzz about his newest book <u>The Ocean at the End of the Lane</u>.<br />
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One of the novel's quotes that resonated with me occurred near the middle of the book during a conversation with the main character and Lettie. She says, "Nobody actually looks like what they really are onthe inside. You don't. I don't. People are much more complicated than that. It's true of everybody."<br />
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Overall, I do not think I liked this book, but there were many one-liners that I found interesting, almost contemplative. I think this may be an interesting book for a high school book club.<br />
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Gaiman's website (click <a href="http://www.neilgaiman.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a>) may offer some additional information for those interested.BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-17775158494017200262014-01-07T05:00:00.000-08:002014-01-07T05:00:04.759-08:00The DivinersA couple of times a year I listen to a book on my way back-and-forth to work. I picked up this one because it supposedly takes place in Ohio, though only the introduction does. I have a CD player in my vehicle; I must say that the audio reading of <u>The Diviners</u> is excellent.<br />
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One of the things I really liked about this book is that I felt as though I were living in the Roaring Twenties. From the lifestyle of the main character to her twenties vernacular--I really felt submerged in that raucous culture of the time. If you visit Libba Bray's website (click <a href="http://libbabray.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a>), she even has a playlist of songs of that period.<br />
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I absolutely loved everything about this book . . . until about two-thirds of the way through (<span style="font-size: x-small;">and it is rather long</span>). I thought it was more a mystery than occult book. I do not mind books about spirits and creepiness; however, this one crossed the line a little for me. (<span style="font-size: x-small;">Probably a closer line the older I get</span>). I cannot put a finger on it other than it began to feel a little too uncomfortable. This uneasy feeling may be an off-handed compliment to the author. It did bother me enough that I probably will not read any more in this series.BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-40038733411481712422014-01-06T04:34:00.002-08:002014-01-06T04:46:31.155-08:00Where'd You Go, BernadetteAlso over Christmas break, I read Maria Semple's book Where'd You Go, Bernadette. A friend had recommended it as a perfect "vacation" book. It is a quick and easy read. The plot was interesting. Some of the characters, who reflected some of "those moms" that I know, made me laugh at their pettiness. (I love the snarkiness in this novel!) I also loved how this novel was told through intercepted emails, documents, and letters.<br />
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This book will not go down as fine literature; however, it met all of my needs as far as a reader goes. I give it two thumbs up! I may even pick up her other novel (<u>This One Is Mine</u>) this summer. Her author's website can be located by clicking <a href="http://www.mariasemple.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a>. I like the quirky look of it; in fact, I laughed loud enough for the dog to come running to see what was going on.</div>
BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1946924382778083978.post-16494719828070731442014-01-02T04:45:00.000-08:002014-01-06T04:46:12.965-08:00Thirteen Reasons WhyOne of the last books I read in 2013 was Jay Asher's first novel <u>Thirteen Reasons Why</u>. I had viewed some buzz about this book the past year, but never really got around to checking it out. It was one of the books I could get from the library on playaway AND check out the book (<span style="font-size: x-small;">both are required for vacation travel for me</span>), so I decided to read (<span style="font-size: x-small;">and listen</span>) to it.<br />
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I loved both how this book was told and the premise for the book. The book was told through a series of tapes a high school girl made and mailed the day she took her own life. The premise, though disturbing, was how one person's actions can have lasting consequences. What I didn't like was that I thought her act was vengeful--or maybe that uncomfortable feeling I had is myself wondering what impact I have on people. Hum?!?!?<br />
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When writing this for my own memory, I stumbled upon his website. On it, are all thirteen tapes read by the main character "Hannah." Ooooh. This adds another level to the reading experience. Check it out by clicking <a href="http://www.thirteenreasonswhy.com/index.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. I will recommend this book to my high school daughters. I do feel it is a little too mature for the junior high group.BeckyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16425326530486653252noreply@blogger.com0