Here you'll find the readings and reflections of an 8th grade reading teacher. I agree with Taylor Mali - If I'm going to change the world, it'll be one eighth grader at a time.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Review: A Monster Calls
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A Monster Calls is another beautifully written story by Patrick Ness. I was in awe of him after the Chaos Walking Trilogy and A Monster Calls didn't disappoint. This is one I couldn't read during class because it made me cry. Book talk to come.
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Saturday, September 24, 2011
Review: Sold
Sold by Patricia McCormick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a hard novel to read, and it took me more than one try to get through. As a reader, I appreciated McCormick's acknowledgements at the end, providing statistics and information about other young women who have been sold into sexual slavery in that area of the world.
Book talk coming soon.
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Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Review: Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie
Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
It's interesting how we read books a second, third or even fourth time and find something new in them. Or read them a different way. The last time I read Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie, I read it looking for the humor. The people in a class I took on teaching English told me that David Lubar was funny. This time, when I read it, I could definitely see how becoming a Nerdfighter has affected my thinking. As I read, I had "imagine me complexly" stuck in my head. Interesting. DFTBA
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Friday, September 9, 2011
Review: Almost Perfect
Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I wasn't sure what to expect with this one. It's the second book about a pre-op transgendered teenager that I've read. Overall, I liked it. Felt for the characters. And then, I found myself surprised that one of my students asked about it--she doesn't like the book she's reading, had read the back of mine and decided she wants to read it. So it's going back in my bag for Monday. I'm interested in having conversation with her about it.
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Monday, September 5, 2011
Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Um, wow. From the beginning I was drawn in by both the story and the hauntingly beautiful photographs. Right now I lack the words to describe this story, which I devoured in one sitting.
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Review: Darth Paper Strikes Back: An Origami Yoda Book
Darth Paper Strikes Back: An Origami Yoda Book by Tom Angleberger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was great! I'm not going to say too much so I don't give it away. Book talk coming soon.
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Saturday, September 3, 2011
Review: Little Brother
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Overall, I liked the story. There is a scary sense of realism when it comes to technology and how people can be tracked using the GPS function in their cell phones. And how Google uses your current location and an aggragate that includes your previous searches and what you clicked on to determine what results are best suited to show up in whatever search you're conducting at the moment. I thought, like one of my friends, that the explanations of all of the technology slowed the story down a bit. I could see how it was necessary in terms of not wanting to alienate audience, though.
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