RJ Palacio's new book, "365 Days of Wonder," is an inspirational and thought-provoking book of precepts for every day of the year. It reminds me of those daily devotional books my mom had when I was younger. Last night, this eloquent author spoke to a full house in Madison, CT about her life as a writer. When asked when she knew she wanted to be a writer, she responded that she had ALWAYS been a writer. However, when she was in college, she made the decision to become a graphic art designer and editor which still allowed her to be a field that dealt with books. She shared that she wrote everyday, but she liked to keep the writing for herself. Wonder was her first book, and she never imagined what a success it would be! Check out the Wonder website or listen to a segment on NPR's All Things Considered. |
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Our 6th graders were lucky enough to participate in a Skype visit with author Natalie Lloyd! This was the first Skype visit I had organized and it was AWESOME! Natalie was the perfect person to bring into the classroom. After I had read her first book, A Snicker of Magic, I knew I wanted to introduce her to my students. I was sad when the book ended and it stayed with me after finishing it. Some of my GOLDEN LINES from A Snicker of Magic include:
Keep your eye on this up and coming amazing author! I am confident you will be seeing her around for quite some time!
http://natalielloyd.blogspot.com/ @_natalielloyd Pie by Sarah Weeks reminds readers that there is more to life than fame and money! Aunt Polly is the best pie maker around--winner of the Blueberry Award, a national pie contest--13 times! She has made her hometown of Ipswitch famous. After Aunt Polly passes away, the protagonist, Alice Anderson, works to come to terms with the death of her aunt as she tries to solve the mystery of the secret pic crust recipe. Working with her friend Charlie, the two crime-solvers follow leads to find out who is responsible for breaking into the pic shop and catnapping Aunt Polly's cantankerous cat, LARDO. The characters are somewhat developed-and the one that everyone loves to hate is the Alice's mother. Mrs. Anderson is a spiteful and jealous person who always thinks the worst of everyone. Although she sees to have a change of heart at the end of the book, one has to question what prompted the change. Immediately upon finishing the story, I had thought that if I could change anything about the story, it would be the ending. I didn't agree with how things were wrapped up and it felt a little rushed and unrealistic. However, after some reflection, the ending feels completely plausible and rather more realistic to the regular fairy tale ending. I like the fact that what ultimately makes the character happy and fulfilled is something other than a traditional 'find the prince' type of ending. Some themes from the story:
3/4/14 Last Friday at lunch, all my co-workers could do was laugh at me when I told them about my exciting adventure to the Wallingford Public Library the previous night with my good friend, Carrie. Carrie is an amazing librarian at the Totoket Valley Elementary School Library in the North Branford School District, and in the past year has become my book partner in crime! Not only do we feed off of one another's book obsession; we have had some fun library field trips too! As I was reflecting on the Children's Department at the Wallingford library, I realized that the topic of great libraries would be a perfect subject for my blog. I decided that one of my new 'bucket list' topics would be "Libraries to Visit" before I die. It also reminded me of a Facebook post I had seen some time ago about the best architectural libraries from around the world. Wallingford Public Library's Children's Area As Carrie and I traverse the state looking for the best that community libraries have to offer, join us in our adventure. Please share your favorite libraries and your favorite library stories.
Follow us on Twitter: Carrie is @lovealibrary Melissa is @msthombookitis The Nerdy Book Club My reading life kicked it up several notches after I 'met' Donalyn Miller and The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child last spring! After reading this book, I knew that there were other people as crazy about books as I was and I felt as though I had met a truly kindred spirt. Her 2nd book, Reading in the Wild: The Book Whisperer's Keys to Cultivating Lifelong Reading Habits was just as good and I devoured it in 2 days.
I have recently found out she is working on another book and I eagerly await its release! Barbara Wright’s Crow is a very important historical fiction novel that shares a story we all need to read. Set in Wilmington, North Carolina at the end of the 19th century, White brings to light a story that is not part of mainstream history classes; the Wilmington Massacre of 1898. During the era known as Reconstruction, African Americans had an opportunity to rise to powers of position and prestige in some parts of the country. This rise was not popular with all groups of people and resulted in widespread violence. Crow grabs the reader from the beginning and through her writing, Barbara Wright brings us back to life in 1898 through the 12-year-old eyes of Moses Thomas. Moses is the son of a newspaper reporter for the "Wilmington Daily Record, the only Negro daily in the South." As with every great plot, the protagonist experiences situations that change how he sees the world. Moses starts as a naive and hopeful boy, with a father who shelters him the best he knows how from the harshness that exists in Wilmington. By the end of the story, both Moses and his father are faced with a harsh truth that changes life for not only their family, but the entire city. "I raised you in the belief that what it took to succeed in life was the same thing that it too to be a good man: honesty and hard work, courage and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism. But we're up against something I don't understand and don't know how to adapt to. I've sheltered you from it, and in the process have made you more vulnerable." "What's that?" "The intractability of hate," he said. (p. 203) For Further Research and ReadingNon-fiction Connections
The History of the Carolina Twins: "Told in Their Own Peculiar Way" by "One of Them":
This 2014 Nutmeg Nominee is a must read. Full of action, adventure, strong characters, and a little touch of myth, The Scorpio Races will catch the attention of readers ages 11 and older. The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Puck and Sean and their journey toward the annual Scorpio Races held in November each year on the island of Thisby. Join them on their adventure as they discover themselves and each other. Puck Connolly is a high-spirited and likable protagonist who the reader will absolutely want to succeed. Sean Kendrick is a time-hardened teenager who still fights the demons from his past--the fearsome capaill uisce, the carnivorous water horses that took the life of his father when Sean was 10. |
AuthorI am a middle school teacher librarian and former classroom teacher. I have a passion for all things books and try to match my readers with high quality literature in every possible situation. Archives
March 2019
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