Real Vacation = More Reading Time!

Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy by Jenny Nimmo
Genre: Children's Literature, Fantasy Rating: (out of 10): 6
These books are good light reading, but aren't deep enough for me to really like them.

Lyra's Oxford by Philip Pullman
Genre: Fantasy, Short Story Rating: (out of 10): 7
The short story here was interesting, and I didn't see the twist at the end coming. I haven't been able to figure out the meaning of the introduction, inserts, and additional artifacts at the end- I know that the story has a deeper meaning, and I know I'd love this book if I could figure it out. It has something to do with Lyra's time being connected to Dr. Mary's...

A Faraway Home: An Orphan Train Story by Jamie Panagopoulos
Genre: Children's Literature, Historical Fiction Rating: (out of 10): 8
While I've been doing research for my final project, I've discovered that there were orphan trains. I've been pretty fascinated by this information, and plan on teaching a unit around it this year or next. This book was interesting to me more because of the topic than because it was any great piece of writing. In the late 1800s to early 1900s, Aid Societies scooped orphans up off the streets of New York and Boston, cleaned them up, put them on trains, and shipped them out to the western states (Michigan largely included). There, the kids would get off the trains and families would come to pick out a child to adopt. They would largely help out on the farm. I just think it's fascinating.

The Latest

Charlie Bone and the Time Twister by Jenny Nimmo
Genre: Children's Literature, Fantasy Rating: (out of 10): 7.5
This one was about like the last- entertaining but nothing super special. I did like the general plot idea of the time twister but thought more could have been done to show the relationship between Henry and Ezekiel.

Responsive Teaching: An Ecological Approach to Classroom Patterns of Language, Culture, and Thought by C.A. Bowers and David J. Flinders
Genre: Teaching Rating: (out of 10): 3
There was very little in this book that I didn't know already from previous courses... at least if there was, it was not understandable! I think if I had read this for class instead of on my own it would have been more worthwhile as main points would have been pointed out to me. This was good go-to-bed reading- not a page turner.

Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo

Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo

Genre: Children's Lit, Fantasy Rating: (out of 10): 7
This was an interesting read. It took awhile to get into it, but then the plot was enough to keep the pages moving. There are some definite similarities to Harry Potter, but making comparisons helped keep my interest.

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Genre: Children's Lit, Fantasy Rating: (out of 10): 8.5
The first half of this book dragged, but that may have been because I read it in pieces during silent reading at school. I couldn't put it down once I got further into it. The movie is terrible. It doesn't follow what happens in the story, and it is slow.

Eldest by Christopher Paolini

Genre: Children's Lit, Fantasy Rating: (out of 10): 9
This one moved quickly right from the start. One thing I was interested in was the love story, which moved slowly throughout this story (but anguishingly so- is that a word?). I have my guesses as to what will happen next... Now I will have to wait until September just like everyone else for the next book...

Creating Classrooms Where Teachers Love to Teach and Students Love to Learn by Bob Sornson

Genre: Teaching, Parenting Rating: (out of 10): 6.5
I have already read the Teaching with Love and Logic book, so this was nothing new. Reading it did remind me of some things to keep in mind as I teach, such as empathy. We were asked to read it over the summer by my principal.

Pregnancy Reading

I read these back in April when I was in the planning stages... I have others I'm working on.

I'm Pregnant! Now What Do I Eat? by Hope Ricciotti
Genre: informational, pregnancy, recipe Rating: (out of 10): 5
Just an overview book. Lots of recipes, which bore me because I don't cook. The information was basic and can be easily found elsewhere.

The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating During Pregnancy by W. Allan Walker
Genre: informational, pregnancy Rating: (out of 10): 7
Much more informational and thorough. Kind of boring, though.

The Real Deal Guide to Pregnancy by Erika Lenkert
Genre: informational, pregnancy Rating: (out of 10): 8
I read this book first, so it was the most interesting. Mostly because the other books had the same information. This was easy reading though, and the first tip-off that pregnancy may be really uncomfortable.

More Meyer

host by Stephenie Meyer

Genre: Science fiction Rating: (out of 10): 7.5
Meyer's first attempt at adult fiction was pretty good. Intriguing, but somewhat predictable. I have to say I agree with my friend Scott, she "overwrites". The books are longer than they need to be. It was a page-turner, though!

Spring Break Reading

Hour Game by David Baldacci
Genre: mystery, thriller Rating: (out of 10): 7
I read this book while at the house in Italy. They had a neat book exchange program, and I wished I had brought a paperback rather than just class reading. I have read a few of Baldacci's books. They aren't great literature, but they are a quick read. He managed to surprise me in this one, too!

Ecofeminism by Maria Mies and Vandana Shiva
Genre: Ecology, women's studies Rating: (out of 10): 7
This book was very readable. I enjoyed the articles in it that were well supported and disagreed with some others, but it was all good food for thought. I'm keeping this one.

Tales of the Field: On Writing Ethnography by John VanMaanen
Genre: Research writing, informational Rating: (out of 10): 5
I learned what I needed to learn from this book. Not terribly interesting, but it did help me organize my thoughts about informational writing.

Ways that Work: Putting Social Studies Standards into Practice by Tarry Lindquist
Genre: Teaching, Social Studies Rating: (out of 10): 9
I am doing an independent study with a professor at EMU this spring to help me develop the social studies curriculum for my district. I'm in charge of the new standards in 3rd and 4th grade. This book gave me some great ideas about relating social studies to kids' lives and how to organize the new curriculum. Highly recommended.

Social Studies at the Center: Integrating Kids, Content, and Literacy by Tarry Lindquist & Douglas Selwyn
Genre: Teaching, Social Studies Rating: (out of 10): 7.5
I skipped parts of this book that didn't relate to the 3rd and 4th grade standards. It was also, though, full of good strategies and positive messages about how and why to effectively teach social studies.

Ugh.

Environmental Culture: The Ecological Crisis of Reason by Val Plumwood
Genre: Ecology, women's studies Rating: (out of 10): 0.5
Ugh. This was tough to read, making the subject matter tough to understand when it shouldn't have been. Definitely a sell-back.