Thanking a Teacher

I just came home with our new boy, Griffin and decided to read a book as he snoozes on his mama's chest.  A picture book seemed like the perfect easy read, so I pulled out Patricia Polacco's "Thank You, Mr. Falker." It was really inspiring to read this as a teacher because it shows that you can really make a difference. It's the author's own story of how she struggled to learn how to read and how her teacher took the time to change her life.
I think back on my teachers, and it's nice to remember the impact they had on my life. Mr. Gessner had passion and ran across our desks to put out a "fire" on the blackboard to show us subtraction. Mr. Los was strict, but I knew how much he cared and always wanted me to do my best. Mrs. Lynch is a personal inspiration for me.  She had the biggest heart and everyone loved her, and I think my own teaching style owes a lot to her.  Finally, my parents are both teachers and the best people I know. Without their advice and support, I couldn't do this job.
Thanks to all of my teachers. The best thing a teacher can do is to create a love of learning, and I always try to remember t to make that a foundation for every lesson I plan.

Fortunately, Neil Gaiman

Ok.  I'm back.  It's been a while since I've blogged because I haven't had much time to read much children's literature outside of the school day.  In school, I've been reading a book called I Funny by James Patterson.  Although the book is written more for a middle school audience, the 5th graders are loving it.
My library sends me email updates when new books and movies are released, so I was really excited when I saw a book from Neil Gaiman on the list.  I immediately requested Fortunately, the Milk.  I've enjoyed his other novels so much that I didn't even really look to find out what this one would be about.  Fortunately, the book is great!  I read the first half of the book in one sitting last Saturday afternoon, and I'm hoping to finish the rest this weekend.  Needless to say, it's a quick read.

For my 5th graders reading this, I'm going to use our "Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then" strategy to give you a quick summary.  A family wants milk for their cereal, tea, or other breakfast food, but realize that they are out of milk.  So, the father goes on quite an adventure to find milk for his kids. Then...
I'm not sharing this last part for two reasons:

1. I haven't finished the entire book yet.
2. I don't want to be a spoiler for anybody who'd like to read it.

Although, this book is much lighter than The Graveyard Book, his writing is just as interesting and fun.  The action is very fast-paced, and it almost seems like a screenplay that could be turned into a movie.  It's filled with illustrations that seem to perfectly reflect what's happening.

I just finished reading a 1000-page historical fiction novel, so I'm happy that I chose this book to read next because it's so quick and lively.  I know that any of my 5th graders would love this book, so who's going to give it a try?  Horsham Public Library has a copy available.  You can search for it and request it by clicking this link:  Come on...request this book!  

As always, comment and let me know what you're reading.

Civil War Picture Book

The school year is off to a fantastic start, and I'm finally getting into a routine in which I can find the time to read for pleasure again.  I've also been in the middle of a 1000 page book that I'm reading with my wife, so it's been busy.
Anyway, Shane and his mom shared a book with me called Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco.  I've read other picture books by her, but I thought that she usually wrote about her Russian family and their traditions.  This one is completely different.
The setting is during the Civil War, and I haven't found out where it takes place yet.  The two main characters, Pink and Say, are both soldiers.  This is what I've found so interesting in the book so far because they're just boys.  It was common for teenage boys to fight in the war at that time, but isn't it a little hard to imagine?  I can connect to the story by thinking about my own teenage years.  I was carefree, playing sports and hanging with my friends.  Upcoming tests were my biggest worry.  It's sad to think that boys during that time didn't stay in school to learn and be with friends.  Rather, they were involved in something so serious and sad that they couldn't enjoy the time like I did.
Ms. Polacco is still introducing the characters to me, and I'm anxious to see how their friendship develops.  Her illustrations look like water-color paints to me, and it fits with the story.
I hope all of my fifth graders and Blair Mill graduates are off to a terrific year!  Keep reading!

Great is "The Graveyard Book"

Wow!  Neil Gaiman may be one of my new favorite authors.  I finished The Graveyard Book this afternoon, and it was fantastic.  I would recommend it to any of my 5th graders who are up for a challenge.  I think boys and girls alike will enjoy it because it has some great characters, a suspenseful adventure, and a little bit of scariness.
What I like most about this book is the way Neil Gaiman writes.  He's totally original and interesting.  It's not so complicated that you don't understand, but he also trusts that the reader is intelligent and uses a variety of vocabulary.
Give this book a try!  Stick with it, and you won't be disappointed.  The conclusion is outstanding and leaves a lot of room for the reader to make predictions about what happens next.
I'm getting ready to head back to school this week.  I've read a few excellent books this summer.  Who else has read something they really liked?

Graveyard Book

In sitting on a train heading to New York. I'll be catching a Yankees game tonight, but for now I have a lot of time to read.
My new book is The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.  He also wrote Coraline that some of you may be familiar with. I wanted to test out a quality book that might appeal to boys. So far this is great! A boy is growing up in a graveyard, with no family except the nonliving. He meets a witch and a group of ghouls. His guardian is a man who seems to be living and has special powers of some sort. It definitely keeps my interest, and this author has a really cool and original writing style.  Any boys interested in reading this?

Hunger Games Finale Doesn't Disappoint

I finished Mockingjay this morning, and Suzanne Collins concludes the series in a nice way.  Sometimes, it seems like authors have trouble wrapping up their stories.  They either drag on way too long or it finishes so quickly that some questions aren't answered.  This is what I teach as the falling action on a plot diagram.  It's often a short section that follows the climax, but it's very important.  Throughout the 3 books in this series, Ms. Collins helped you to really know the characters and their relationships.  In this final book, she planned well and explained how every problem was resolved.
I can't say that these books were my favorite, but the last one was definitely the best.

Sci-Fi is great!

I just finished The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer.  Thanks to Erin, Emily, Luke, Savana, Siera, and Trent for reading it with me!
Science-fiction is a reading genre that takes place in the future where there are technological advances.  The author is predicting what life will be like in the future.
This author wrote about a time in the future where many people live in this one giant city.  Humans have not been kind to the planet so the air is polluted with smoke-fog, or smog.  The main character is an orphan who lives in this terrible place.  When he gets out, he realizes that he has special abilities.  This is how he becomes part of this group that is trying to protect the people of the city.  They call themselves the "supernaturalists" because they have powers that are more than what most people naturally have.
They begin a mission that had me changing my predictions time after time.  Every time I thought I knew how it would end, the author would throw in a twist.  It's the kind of book that you could imagine them turning into a movie because it keeps the reader constantly on the edge of the seat.
The characters are all very different and interesting.  My favorite character happened to be the girl (not only because her name is Mona like my daughter!).  She has a big heart, but she's never afraid to tell it like it is.
I would really recommend this book to both boys and girls who like adventure stories.  Does anyone know if he wrote a sequel?  Enjoy your summer reading!

Summer Reading

My latest read is "Mockingjay," the final book in the Hunger Games trilogy. It's more about the war between the capitol and the rebels, and I find that more interesting than the first two books. I still think Katniss is a terrible character though.
I'd like to start a summer reading club that will discuss a novel using the blog. Please comment if you're interested and give any suggestions of novels that might be fun to read.

The Guardians

I started a new series, and it's a really quick read.  I'm nearly finished with it already.  "The Guardians" may be familiar to you because they created a movie for it this year.  Book 1 of the series is called Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King.  I think each book follows the story of a holiday or mythical figure.  For instance, this first one follows Santa Claus.  It's a really interesting story, however, because I'm still not sure which character is supposed to be, St. Nick.  The writing is awesome, so this is another author that I'd recommend.  The AR level is 6.1, it's definitely advanced reading.  
The basic idea of this book is that a town gets attacked by Pitch, the Nightmare King.  This rough "pirate" kind of guy comes to their rescue.  I think he might become Santa Claus, but I'm still not sure.  This problem goes on throughout the book.  It's not a super challenging read because of the short chapters and cool illustrations.  I'm definitely impressed.
I'd recommend this book to all of my readers who love books in a series.  If you're looking for a new series, this is a great place to start.  Here's a cool website to get you started:  http://www.theguardiansbooks.com/.
I'll let you know when I wrap it up.  Who's interested?

Warriors completed

Well, I finally finished book #1 of the Warriors series.  It was very cool, and the author's writing really impressed me.  Like Jerry Spinelli, she's very descriptive and uses figurative language on every page.  I think that's what I liked best about the book.  In addition, she really sets up a cool plot.  Book #1 was definitely laying a foundation for future books in the series.  My favorite character was probably Yellowfang.  She's not a star in the book, but she seems the most realistic to me.  She's not perfect, but she seems to care for her new clan.  What did the rest of you who read this think?  Who's your favorite character?
As for those of you who haven't read it, have you been reading any good books over the break.  My class got a lot of cool books from Scholastic, so I'm anxious to hear how those are going.  Matt W will be interested to know that I'm reading a war book now for my "grown-up book."
I'm also going to be starting a new series.  I'm just waiting for the book to come in at my local library. I'll keep you posted.
Ok.  Tell me what you're reading.

Many Irons in the Fire

My post title is an idiom that means I'm doing a few things at one time.  In this case, I'm reading a few books at one time.

I finished Surviving Hitler that Luke C lent to me.  Thanks so much, Luke!  I hope that you'll also read these books, and maybe some of your classmates could borrow them.  I think that Matt W would really appreciate them.
So, now to the books I'm reading.  ON MANY STUDENTS' RECOMMENDATIONS, I'm reading Warriors Into the Wild.  I know that many of you have read this series and others are reading it right now like me.  It's pretty cool because I can make some connections to my own cats.  I think Khan would be like Firepaw.  He's pretty energetic.  We have stray cats in our neighborhood, so I wonder if they get into fights and have clans like these cats.  The author really goes into a lot of detail to help you visualize the setting of the book.  Check out the figurative language I found just on the first page!

1. "The silence was broken only by the ripple of water from the swift black river and the whisper of trees in the forest beyond." (What kind of figurative language?)
2. "the creatures leaped at each other, and suddenly the rocks were alive with wrestling, screeching cats." (What kind of figurative language?)

I found the website for the series, and I thought some of you might like this.

http://www.warriorcats.com/warriorshell.html

I'm about to start a baseball book with a small group of 5th graders.  There may be room for 1-2 more, so let me know if you're interested.  The books have been ordered, boys, so we'll be starting soon.  I'm pretty excited!

• What do you think about the "Warriors" books?
• Did you check out the website?
• Have you read other books about animals?
• Are you interested in reading a baseball book?

Getting Ready for Spring Training

I'm getting so excited for baseball season to start up.  I've been reading a book called The Unforgettable Season with Nico, so I'm definitely ready for the season to start up.  It's a short picture book about Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams, two guys who set records that have not been broken.  Joe was a Yankees outfielder who got a hit in 56 straight games.  That's incredible!  Ted was on the Red Sox and he had another amazing feat, batting .400 for the entire season!  The author shares how each player wasn't liked by the fans for a while, but now they're two of the most famous ball players of all times.  I like the illustrations, and it's so easy to read.  Nico, would you give it 2 thumbs-up?  If anybody wants to borrow it, I have a copy.  I'd like to read another baseball book, but maybe expand my reading group to 5-6 boys.  Any 5th grade boys interested?  I'll take the first 5-6 who post on the blog.  Let me know if you have any recommendations.  I'm thinking Honus and Me or Jackie and Me.
Just a quick update on my own reading, too.  I'm reading Surviving Hitler that Luke C recommended.  I'll keep you posted.

100%...I loved the book!

I finished Breaking Stalin's Nose.  It only took me a week, so I really loved it!  I wouldn't say it has a happy ending, but it definitely makes you appreciate the life we have here.  The boy's father is pretty important in Russia, but he gets into some trouble.  The son is left to deal with it.  I have two questions for you this time, and it would be great to have some comments.

1. Who's going to be the first to try this great book?  Any takers?
2. What's the saddest book you've ever read?  Have you ever read a book with an unhappy ending?

Now, I have a few books to read.  First, I'm going to have a mini-book club with Nico.  We're reading a book about baseball.  It will prove, once again, that Yankees are superior.  I'm also going to read the first book of the "Warriors" series based on many recommendations.  I've also got a book called Surviving Hitler that Luke C lent me.  I'm really excited about all 3.  I'll keep you posted, and keep reading!

Breaking Stalin's Nose

I appreciate everyone's suggestions, but I saw a book on the Newbery list that seemed so interesting to me.  I requested it from my local library right away, and it's called Breaking Stalin's Nose.  It's historical fiction which is my favorite genre, and it's about Russian history which is also something I find fascinating.  

It's SUCH an easy read.  My goal is to finish it in 10 days.  I started it yesterday, and it's really good so far.  This young boy is the main character, and I can already start to see what his problem will be.  The back cover says the whole book takes place over 2 days.  It seems strange that an entire novel will only cover 2 days.  I guess the author will explain a lot of details.

What I'd like you to discuss with you is your favorite genre.  

• Realistic Fiction
• Science Fiction
• Historical Fiction
• Fantasy
• Adventure
• History
• Science
• Biographies
• Sports Fiction

There are some ideas for you.  So, tell me what you think.  

Also, does anybody have any background knowledge about Russia that might help me understand the book.  The person in the title, Stalin, was a cruel leader there.  I think some of you would definitely enjoy it.  I'm thinking of Luke C but Luke J, too! 

Caught Fire

Well, I accomplished my goal.  I finished Catching Fire today.  Most of you were right.  I stuck with it, and it definitely got better.  The ending was great and a cliff-hanger, so I guess I have to read the final book in the series.
I'm going to take a break from the Hunger Games series for a book or two.  I noticed a book on the Newberry Award list that sounded interesting, so I requested it from my local library.  It's about Russia.  After that, I might try this Warriors series that so many have recommended.
I'll keep you posted.  See you tomorrow!