Showing posts with label Teen Issues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Teen Issues. Show all posts

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Mrs. Read-A-Lot Update

Hi!  I have not been blogging on Mrs. Read-A-Lot because I wasn't able to access at school with my students.  I decided I am going to try again and see if my students can view it from school and really try and use it with them again.  

Even though I have not been blogging, I have still be reading!  I have read some really great books lately.  Here are some of my favorites:

Graceling By Kristin Cashore

The Year of the Dog By Grace Lin

Love That Dog By Sharon Creech

Seeing Redd By Frank Beddor (Part of the Looking Glass Wars series)

Fly on the Wall By E. Lockhart

I am the Messenger By Makus Zusak

Forever Princess By Meg Cabot (Part of the Princess Diaries series)

I will be back to post some cool stuff about folk literature soon.  I will even have some video!  Should be fun!

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Maximum Ride: The Final Warning

Most Recently Read Book:

Maximum Ride: The Final Warning

By James Patterson

Well...I have to say this was my least favorite in the Maximum Ride series.  As far as I know this is the last book in the series and it really was not a good book.  I did listen to this entire series on CD and this book was narrated by a different narrator so maybe that makes a difference, but I really didn't like the plot.  I loved the first and second books, and the third book for the most part, but this one was bad.  In this book Max and the flock go to Antarctica to try and do some research to help stop global warming only to get captured by another mad scientist kind of creature.  I know they are out to get them, but this was a little crazy, even for this series.  The whole time we have heard about Max's mission to save the world and this just didn't seem like a good ending.  Also, I'm a big fan of the romance that has been becoming more and more evident between Max and Fang.  Patterson addressed that in this book but at the same time just kind of said Max was freaked out and ended the book never talking about it again.  Maybe there will be another or more than one other book in this series.  If this really is the final book it was a very sad way to end the series.  Ugh.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Jinx


Most Recently Read Book:

Jinx

By Meg Cabot

Meg Cabot is one of my favorite young adult authors.  I love The Princess Diaries series, and I also like the All-American Girl series.  Honestly, though, I have to say this was not one of my favorite Meg Cabot books.  Jinx is about a girl who moves to New York City to live with her aunt and uncle and to get away from an obssessed ex-boyfriend.  The weird part about this book is that the main character, Jinx, thinks she might be a witch.  It was just a little strange for me.  I love the Twilight series and vampires and everything, but I didn't really like reading about a witch.  I don't always like every book I read, and that's okay.  

What Are You Reading Good (11/06/08)

So...what are you reading good this week? REMEMBER..tell me the title, the author, what the book is about right now. Try to really be more specific than just saying it is interesting or it is fun. Make me want to read the book! Or...really support why I shouldn't read the book, if you don't like it.

I am currently reading Travel Team by Mike Lupica.  He is a well-known sports writer who has written many young adult novels about kids who play sports.  This book is about a boy who is really short but is really good at basketball.  He's really upset because for the first time ever, he doesn't make it onto the team.  It made me really sad now that I am a mom because it would make me so sad if my son didn't make the team.  That's all I know so far!

I am currently listening to Maximum Ride: The Final Warning by James Patterson.  This is the fourth and final book in the Maximum Ride series.  Once I start a series, I like to finish it, or at least keep up with, especially if I like it.  If you remember, this series is about the group of bird-kids who are trying to escape from mad scientists.  They pretty much escaped but I think now someone else is going to come after them.  It's kind of slow in the book right now, but still entertaining.  I love Max as a character, she cracks me up!

Monday, November 3, 2008

Author Spotlight - Gordon Korman

I just saw Gordon Korman present at one of my middle schools. I have to tell you, it is so fun for me to meet authors. I love reading books and to get to meet an author is a great experience because you really get to hear where a story comes from and how he or she goes about writing.

Gordon Korman wrote his first book when he was in 7th grade! He explained that his teacher gave an assignment asking students, basically, just to write...and he did. When he finished his book, he mailed it off to Scholastic, and by luck, they published his book. From there, he just kept on writing and has now written a lot of books.

The entire 7th grade read his book, Schooled. It was interesting to hear him talk about books he has published and how he came up with the idea for Schooled. He explained that some of his stories come from experience, and others come from his imagination. He was doing a presentation at a school when he noticed some students who were home-schooled. He noticed that they seemed out of place amongst the other students and that is where he came up with the idea of a character like Capricorn Anderson, for Schooled.

This picture turned out kind of dark, but you can see him on the stage if you look closely.  

Here I am with Gordon Korman! You can see I am wearing my tie-dye t-shirt in honor of the 60's theme of the book.
Gordon Korman also talked about his newest book that will be released in December. The book is called One False Note. This new book is the 2nd book in series, The 39 Clues. There will be ten books in the series, and each book is going to be written by a different author. Rick Riordan wrote the first book, and Gordan Korman wrote the second. I am really anxious to check this series out.

Friday, October 31, 2008

Catcher in the Rye


Most Recently Read Book:

Catcher in the Rye

By J.D. Salinger

I just finished this book for the second time.  As I mentioned in WAYRG, I read this book in high school and I wanted to reread it to see if I might have a different view of it now that I am an adult.  Basically, I can appreciate it a little more, but I can't say that I really like this book.  The author definitely is able to create a unique voice for a character such that you don't mind reading a book all about what is happening in his life.  My biggest problem is that I completely do not in any way relate to the character and the author doesn't really help me connect with the character.  I'm not sure I blame the author, he definitely does a good job of presenting the character but there is no way he can be sure every reader will identify with a character.  I guess I just can't even connect with the character at all just because it's hard for me to sympathize or empathize with him.  I think this is mainly because of the way the story is told.  I'm not sure I'm making sense!

Let's just say that Holden Caulfield is just not a character who I can identify with and, for the second time, I feel like it was just annoying to read all about this kid's life when in the end, it really doesn't help me grow as a reader.  

Please, if you are a Holden fan or a Catcher fan, tell me why you are and help me see the light!  I really want to like this book, I think I just need some help.  Let this be a good example that books are not one size fits all.  

Thursday, October 30, 2008

King Dork


Most Recently Read Book:

King Dork

By Frank Portman

I found this book at the library randomly and just finished listening to it yesterday.  This book was really a funny book after I got into it.  It's basically a year (or so) in the life of a sophomore boy in high school.  He's pretty much a dork and doesn't really have too many friends in school.  It's a totally different perspective from what I have read before.  There are some mature ideas in this book so I would definitely recommend this for at least high school students.  A perfect book for any boy who's into music, too.  

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Pretty Tough



Most Recently Read Book:

Pretty Tough

Liz Tigelaar

I thought this was a great book!  Besides being a great book in general, it was a great book for girls, sisters, and athletes.  There were so many things going on in this book.  Charlie and Krista are sisters.  Charlie basically hates her sister because Krista didn't stand up for her when her best friends started a really mean rumor about her.  When Charlie is recruited for the soccer team,  she decides to try out because she knows it will make Krista mad since Krista is the start of the team.  At first Charlie just wants to make Krista mad but then she really starts to like soccer and they find out that they have to figure out how to get along if they want to succeed on the soccer field.  There's boys and friendship mixed in along the way...and lots of technical soccer stuff, too!   

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

What Are You Reading Good? (7/07/08)

It's been a while since I posted!  Summer is a fun time and my family has been really busy.  My son completed the Summer Reading Program at our local library.  He earned a free kids' meal at Panera and some other food places and he got a free book!  There still might be time sign up at your local library and earn some free stuff!!!

So...what are you reading good this week?  REMEMBER..tell me the title, the author, what the book is about right now.  Try to really be more specific than just saying it is interesting or it is fun.  Make me want to read the book!  Or...really support why I shouldn't read the book, if you don't like it.  

I finished Green Glass Sea, by Ellen Klages.  It was a very interesting historical fiction book about a girl who lives in a  secret government town where all the adults are working to create the atomic bomb.  I really like the genre of historical fiction.

I also finished Fablehaven, Book Two: Rise of the Evening Star, by Brandon Mull.  I love this series and am excited to read the third book.  This is a fun series for anyone who likes fantasy.  This is the second book in the series but is just as good as the first!

Currently, I am reading Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie, by Jordan Sonnenblick.  This book falls into the category of teen issues.  It is about a boy named Stephen whose little brother was just diagnosed with cancer.  That means his family just found out his little brother has cancer, which is a serious disease that people sometimes die from.  It is a really well written book because I feel like Stephen is talking to me.  I can't imagine what it might be like to have a family member with cancer, but I think it would really hard to have a little boy have to deal with cancer.  No fun!  So far this book is really interesting but easy to read at the same time.  

Monday, June 16, 2008

What Are You Reading Good? (6/16/08)

It's the beginning of another week...what are you reading good this week?  REMEMBER..tell me the title, the author, what the book is about right now.  Try to really be more specific than just saying it is interesting or it is fun.  Make me want to read the book!  Or...really support why I shouldn't read the book, if you don't like it.  

I am still reading The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages.  I'm really getting interested in the story because the two main characters live on an army base where there are a lot of secrets.  I can't wait to figure out the secrets!
I'm also reading the second book in the Fablehaven series: Rise of the Evening Star, by Brandon Mull.  I am really enjoying this series.  It's a must for fantasy lovers!

Monday, June 9, 2008

What Are You Reading Good? (6/9/08)

What are you reading good this week??  Please share what you are reading, who the author is, what you are reading about so far, and what you think of what you are reading.  
I am reading The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages.  So far, this book is about a girl named Dewey.  Her father works for the Army but has been gone for a while.  Her grandmother was just put into a nursing home and she doesn't have anywhere to stay when a woman from the Army comes to get her and sends her off on a train to New Mexico where her dad is.  It seems like it is going to be a long trip and she's kind of scared all on her own.  I don't think I would like being on such a long trip all by myself.  I wonder what awaits her in New Mexico! 




Saturday, June 7, 2008

S.E. Hinton

Today a went to a huge book fair in downtown Chicago.  There were lots of booths to buy books and lots of fun free stuff.  They had presentations going on all day.     
I went to go see S.E. Hinton.  She is a famous author and she wrote The Outsiders.  She wrote The Outsiders when she was a teenager.  The Outsiders is about two different cliques: the socs and the greasers.  Cliques are groups of people who are friends.  Sometimes, if you are part of one clique then you cannot be friends with someone from another clique.  It can be sad because everyone should be able to get along and we should get to know people for who they are not who they hang out with.  S.E. Hinton wrote this book about 40 years ago, but the social problems she wrote about then are still going on today.  I think this is a great book for teenage readers.  I was able to get my copy of The Outsiders signed by S.E. Hinton and to take a picture with her.  


Here is her website if you want to learn more about her and other book she has written: www.sehinton.com.    

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Ready or Not


Most Recently Read Book

Ready or Not

By Meg Cabot

Meg Cabot is one of my favorite authors.  She wrote the Princess Diaries series and lots of other fun books.  She is definitely a girly-girl author who writes about girls and their crazy lives...and usually boys.  This book, Ready or Not, is a sequel to All-American Girl.  The main character saves the President in the first book and starts dating the President's son Michael.  In this book she defends young American's rights...and has some fun along the way.  I would recommend this to students in high school because of some of the issues that are discussed.  I definitely recommend checking out Meg Cabot's other books if this one seems interesting to you!

Monday, May 26, 2008

What Are You Reading Good? (5/26/08)

Every Monday, I will be posting a new "What Are You Reading Good?" for the week. This is your chance to share what you are reading good for the week.  As a student, you should be reading about one book a week, depending on how long the book is. A Harry-Potter-sized book might count as three books because it is so long and so it may take you three weeks to finish.  Try and set a goal for yourself and see if you can meet it! 

I have just started reading The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler.  This story is about a girl who has never been swimming or totally underwater, even in a bathtub, in her whole life!  Finally, she begs her mom to let her take swimming lessons and when she gets in the pool her legs feel really weird and she can't control them...because she has changed into a mermaid!  Right now, she is pretty freaked out and not sure what to do about.  She is scared to tell her mom so she is trying to keep it a secret from her.  It doesn't seem like she really has friends so I wish she would tell her mom.  I hate keeping secrets unless they are fun secrets.  I can't wait to see what happens!  

Meg Cabot is one of my favorite authors.  She wrote the Princess Diaries series (made into Disney movies) and other fun books.  I have to admit, these are totally girly books, but they are fun!  This is the second book in the All-American Girl series.  In the first book, All-American Girl, the main character accidentally saves the president from being shot and becomes famous because of it.  She also ends up falling in love with and dating the president's son.  How cool is that?  In this book, so far, she is trying to decide if she is going to go to Camp David, the private hangout for the president (for real), with her boyfriend and the President for Thanksgiving.  Who wouldn't want to go to Camp David?  I hope she choses to go!  

What are you reading good?  Please share with me and other blog-readers.  I love to share what I am reading, to hear what others are reading, and to get ideas for books I want to read.  Let me know if you have questions about the books I am reading or about anything in this post. Don't forget, keep reading good!  

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Books as Movies 2008

Did you know that so many of the movies you see were really books first??  Sometimes movies are made into books, too.  Here is a list of books that were made into movies for 2008. Personally, I like to read the book first and let myself imagine the story first...and then go see the movie.  Some of these movies are already out...but that doesn't mean you can't still read the book first and then go check out the movies.  Also, did you know that you can check out movies at the library?  How cool is that?  They have VHS or videos, and they also have DVDs.  The best part? Totally FREE!  Just remember to return them on time, sometimes you can't check them out for as long as books.  Let me know how you thought the movie compared to the book!!

Spiderwick Chronicles - February 2008

Nim's Island - April 2008

Prince Caspian - May 2008



Indiana Jones - May 2008



Kit Kittredge: An American Girl - June 2008

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 - August 2008
This series is definitely a favorite!  It's great for teen girls and is a fun story of friendship.


City of Ember - October 2008
This is the beginning of an awesome science fiction series about a very interesting community.

The Secret Life of Bees - October 2008
This is a great story of a girl whose mom died when she was little and she runs away to find out more about her.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - November 2008
I am a huge Harry Potter fan and I am sad that the series has ended...but at least we have the movies to look forward to!

The Road - November 2008

Twilight - December 2008
Twilight is one of my absolute favorite books!  It is a fantastic, vampire, action, love story!  How cool does the cast look?  It is awesome!  I dare you to read it!


Marley and Me - December 2008

The Tale of Desperaux - December 2008

Pretties

Most Recently Read Book:

Pretties

By Scott Westerfield

Pretties is the second book in the Uglies series by Scott Westerfield.  I didn't choose to read this series for a long time because I thought it was going to be about people only judging people by their looks instead of who they are on the inside.  When a friend recommended the series I finally decided to read it and I was really wrong about judging the book from it's cover!  I guess I should learn my lesson.  This series is actually a science fiction series because it is set in the future during a time when all kids are called "littlies", all 10-15 year-olds are called "uglies", and everyone who has turned 16 are called "pretties" because of an operation they go through.  Everyone becomes pretty in every way...does that sound like it would be good or not?  Sometimes people think it would be nice for everyone to be the same and not to have competition, but what would you have to give up for a life like that?  Read the books to find out!


The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian


Most Recently Read Book:

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

By Sherman Alexie

This book is a semi-autobiographical story about a boy growing up on an Indian reservation 
in Washington state. Semi-autobiographical means it is part true story from his life and part 
fictional. Indian reservations are communities that were set up for Native-Americans when 
their land was taken over. It's a sad situation still today in some of these reservations. I 
really liked this book because it was so truthful and written in such a great way. It's a funny 
story because it's about a 14-year-old and it sounds like a 14-year-old talking. I would 
recommend this book for students who are at least in high school because of some more 
mature content...but I definitely recommend it!

Monday, May 19, 2008

What Are You Reading Good? (5/19/08)

Every Monday, I will be posting a new "What Are You Reading Good?" for the week.  This is your chance to share what you are reading good for the week.  As a student, you should be reading about one book a week, depending on how long the book is.  A Harry-Potter-sized book might count as three books because it is so long and so it may take you three weeks to finish.  Try and set a goal for yourself and see if you can meet it! 

Right now, I am reading Heat, by Mike Lupica.  I have never really read a sports fiction book but I really like it so far.  I found out one secret that Michael, the main character, is trying to keep.  I think there may be another one, but so far it has not been revealed, or told, to the reader.  Michael just met a girl named Ellie who he thinks is the most beautiful girl in the world...but she seems to have her own secrets!  I can't wait to read more!

I am also reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie.  I'm reading this book by listening to it on CD.  I love listening to books on CD.  It's fun to hear the different voices the reader uses and the emotion in the reader's voice.  I think listening to books on tape, CD, or on playaways is a great way to become a better reader.  You can check these out at your public library.  I just started this book and so far it is about a boy who lives on  native american reservation.  So far he is talking about his life, about being poor, about his friend who has a crazy-mad temper, and his dog who got sick.  I like the writing so far.  

What are you reading good?  Please share with me and other blog-readers.  I love to share what I am reading, to hear what others are reading, and to get ideas for books I want to read.  Let me know if you have questions about the books I am reading or about anything in this post. Don't forget, keep reading good!