Catching Fire

Book #44: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

This book is the sequel to the Hunger Games. **SPOILER ALERT!! IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE HUNGER GAMES, AND PLAN TO, DO NOT READ THIS POST.** You've been warned. I can take no blame if you ruin your life by reading this post before you read the Hunger Games.

Seriously, these books are that good. You need to read them. And if you read this post it will just ruin the whole experience. Ok, go read.






Hope this is enough space for people to get the hint...Anyway, onto the book. I'm going to be lame again and just reproduce the blurb from the book cover.

"Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and her longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of rebellion against the Capitol--a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the Districts on the Capitols cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying."

This book was great and kept me turning the pages (I read until 2 am one night even though I had to get up at 7am...I just couldn't put it down. Then I kept thinking about it as I was trying to sleep. I even dreamed about it.)

I'm dying to read the last one, Mockingjay, which isn't even released until August 24. Ugh. That's 5 months away. Are you kidding me?

The Hunger Games

Book #43: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

"In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.


Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regard it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before--and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weight survival against humanity and life against love."

I heard about this book through a couple of junior high English teachers who raved about it and said it was the book that changed so many kids from non-readers to avid readers. Obviously, I had to read it. I picked it up on Monday and finished Thursday. That's saying a lot considering my week (2 days of all day classes followed by 4 hours of parent-teacher conferences each night, homework for my MEd., and keeping up with my amazing social schedule). I like reading. I like a good book but I am not the kind of person who tries to read at red lights or who tries to find busy work for her students so she can read or who ignores the fact that she is exhausted and needs sleep. This book made me that person. I hardly slept, I read anywhere and everywhere.

This book is crazy good. It's exciting and has some romance. Oh, man! I want to tell you everything that happens but that would not be nice. Go get this book now!

Sent

Book #40: The Missing: Book 2 Sent by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Ok, I read the first book in this series when I student taught and loved it. That's where my author crush began. I decided to make it my first read aloud when I began teaching (I would have done it as a book group but don't have enough copies). My students absolutely loved it. When we first began reading I told them it was the first book in a series and the second one came out at the end of August. When we finished Found, my students begged me to go buy Sent, the even offered to each bring in a dollar so I would have enough money for it. I told them no but they were welcome to go buy it or check it out and read it.

A few days later, I broke down and had to buy the second book, Sent. I am so glad I did.

At the end of Found, Jonah and Chip, who are both thirteen-year-olds, are trying to contemplate the news that they're both missing children from history, kidnapped from their proper time period. Before they can fully absorb this revelation, a time purist named JB zaps Chip and another boy, Alex, back to the fifteenth century, where they supposedly belong. Because Jonah and his sister Katherine do not want to lose their friends they grab Chip's arms just as he's being sent away. As a result Jonah and Katherine also end up in the fifteenth century, where they do not belong.

Chip's true identity is Edward V, king of England, and Alex is his younger brother, Richard, Duke of York. But Chip is convinced that his uncle, Richard of Gloucester, plans to kill them and seize the throne for himself.

JB promises that if the kids can "fix time," he will allow them to return to the present day. But how can they possibly return home safely when history claims that Chip and Alex were murdered?

Now that I have read it I'm really wanting to read it to my students because it takes place in the Middle Ages (one thing I have to cover with my 6th graders) and it's just as riveting as the first. I'm stuck. I wanted to make sure I read a different genre each time I do a read aloud but now I'm torn. This book is more difficult to categorize than the first. It obviously has elements of science fiction (time travel) but it also has historical fiction (the entire story takes place from 1483-1485). Maybe I'll just call it historical fiction and read it to them.

The Higher Power of Lucky

Book #39: The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

Lucky, a 10-year-old girl who lives in a small town called Hard Pan (population 43) with her guardian Brigitte. Lucky became the ward of Brigitte after her mother died two years ago from being electrocuted. Brigitte is Lucky's father's ex-wife. Brigitte is asked by Lucky's father to come to the United States from France to take care of Lucky. Lucky fears that Brigitte is tired of being her guardian and of their life in Hard Pan. Her experiences led her to believe that Brigitte will abandon her and return to France. This anxiety prompts Lucky to seek help from her "Higher Power", a notion she gets from eavesdropping at her town's 12-step meetings. After discovering three "signs" to leave, she runs away with her dog, HMS Beagle, and Miles but realizes she needs to come back home. Before she leaves the dugouts, she casts her mother's ashes out in the wind. Brigitte takes Lucky home and explains the papers Lucky had found in Brigitte's suitcase were actually to legally adopt Lucky.

I just read that this book has been censored by many school libraries because of the use of the word "scrotum" on the first page. Holy cow. Give it a rest. At the end of the book, Brigitte does an excellent job of telling Lucky exactly what a scrotum is. If you read it at school, yes, kids will ask about it. Is that a bad thing? Stupid people annoy me.

Rick Richter, the President and Publisher of the Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, is quoted as saying, "Simon & Schuster ultimately hopes that readers will recognize this wonderful book as a whole, and the charm and innocence of its main character Lucky, and will see beyond one word and the controversy surrounding the book. Susan Patron has written a masterful novel celebrating small town values and we can only hope that her deserved Newbery winner is recognized for the treasure that it truly is." Well said Rick, well said.

I'm on a roll...2 books in less than a week

Book #37: Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix

First of all, I think I have an author crush on Margaret Peterson Haddix. She's fantastic. I haven't read anything by here that is bad.

Jessie lives in Clifton, a small settlement in Indiana, during the 1840s. When kids begin to get really sick, her mother tells her that she needs to leave Clifton to get help. The only thing is, everywhere else it is actually 1996. Jessie has to cope with using a telephone and other modern day conveniences and get help for the kids and the village.

I read this because one of my reading groups is doing it and I decided I need to know what they were reading so I could follow their conversations. Man, am I glad I did. This is a great book. You could probably read it as young as 3rd grade.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Book #35: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

This book is based on Alexie's actual life experiences.

Junior was born with water on the brain which gives him many difficulties to overcome--a studder and seizures. He is very bright and artistic though. When he receives his math book, he reads the front and sees his mom's name written in the front cover. This angers him and he decided to go to the high school in Reardon--an all white small-town school. While there he is able to overcome many difficult life situations and find people who have things in common with him.

This book was emotional and uplifting. It shows the resiliency of people in the face of adversity. Alexie writes with the wit and humor of a freshman in high school. With that in mind, this is not a book for elementary students. You may be able to bring it out in 8th grade but beware: sex and violence rear their ugly heads as much as deep and unabiding sorrow and words of encouragement.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who can accept that boys will be boys and they talk about sex and violence. It was a great book. Funny, encouraging, sad, hopeful. Everything you want in a good book.

Out of the Dust

Book #32 Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

"Dust
piles up like snow
across the prairie,
dunes leaning against fences,
mountains of dust pushing over barns."

This book is written in free verse/journal which makes for a very quick read. It follows 14-year-old Billie Jo Kelby and her family from the winter of 1934 to the winter of 1935 on a farm in Oklahoma. Life on the farm is difficult for the Kelbys due to the dust storms and drought. Many people pack up and head for California but Pa thinks things will get better. Ma becomes pregnant and the family is excited. There is some tragedy in the family's lives which pulls them apart.

I loved Hesse's poetic writing. She was able to paint such vivid pictures with so few words. This was another book that I couldn't put down and I had to finish it today. It's a great book for 4th grade on up. You could even use portions of the book to teach poetry.

"The way I see it, hard times aren't only
about money,
or drought,
or dust.
Hard times are about losing spirit,
and hope,
and what happens when dreams dry up." (p. 225)

"I'm getting to know the music again.
And it's getting to know me.
We sniff each other's armpits,
and inside each other's ears,
and behind each other's necks.
We are both confident, and a little sassy." (p. 222)

Censoring imagination and the real world?

Book #28 Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Jess Aarons is the fastest runner at his school until a new girl (Leslie Burke) challenges him at the begging of the year. Leslie and her parents are new to the rural town and are bit odd (they don't own a TV!!). Leslie and Jess soon become friends. Leslie is imaginative in her play and it's her idea to create Terabithia, their make-believe kingdom.


I love this book! I read it because it's on the banned book list so I assumed that it would be full of vulgar comments, racism, profanity, instructions on making pipe bombs...something horrible. It wasn't. As far as I can tell is it was banned/censored because people are idiots. Leslie's family doesn't believe in God and thinks of the Bible as a fictional story. There is some mild cussing but nothing that most kids haven't heard yet--most of the "cussing" are things like this: "Next a string of cuss words..." "Billy yelled a cuss word..." . Leslie calls her parents by their first names. At the end something does happen that is difficult to deal with but I think books are a great way for children to deal with difficult issues and figure out how they will deal with that issue when it comes up in their life because it will happen.

FBI Agents, Ghosts, and International Smuggling Rings

Now that my MEd. classes are over, I've gone on a reading kick. I will accomplish this goal!

Book #27 Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Ok, technically I didn't read this book this summer, I read it with my 5th grade students in April but I loved it so much that I had to write about it.

Found is the first book of the Missing series (Sent, book #2 in the series, comes out August 25, 2009. Please don't read about Sent until you read Found, it will spoil the end of Found if you do!).

Jonah is 13 and has always known he was adopted. He becomes friends with Chip who is also adopted but didn't know until he and Jonah did some investigating. They both begin receiving letters. The first one says, "You are one of the missing." The second one says, "Beware! They're coming back to get you." This leads Chip, Jonah and his sister Katherine into a mystery that involves the FBI, ghosts, smuggling and an airplane that appeared out of nowhere.

This book is written so well and is great for book groups because almost every chapter ends with a cliffhanger. My students were begging me to read more. It was great.

Hope is the thing with feathers

Book #25 Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson

Woodson begins the book with the following poem by Emily Dickinson:

Hope is the thing with feathers
that perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all

I think it was that point that I knew I'd love this book. (That is one of my favorite poems ever!)

I began reading this just because it was a quiet Sunday and I didn't want to watch tv or do my homework. I didn't imagine I would be reading long. But once I started, I could not put it down. Woodson's language is lyrical, she creates scenes with such poetry. I was amazed by her writing.

Feathers takes place in the winter of 1971. Frannie is a 6th grader. She lives with her parents and deaf older brother on the wrong side of the highway. One day, a tall, skinny white boy with long hair walks into the classroom "white and softly as the snow." He has long hair and soon students begin calling him Jesus Boy. He must stand up to bullying because "there aren't white people on this side of the highway. You didn't notice until one appeared. And then you saw all the brown and light brown everywhere." Frannie's best friend, Samantha, begins fantasizing that this boy may really be Jesus returned to the earth.

Like I've already said, I loved this book. The only problem I see with reading it in a classroom is that Jesus Christ and religion are a central theme. Is that going over the edge? Would I be integrating church and state instead of keeping them completely separate? Other than that aspect, I think it's great for elementary students. It deals with themes of racism, acceptance, hope, love, segregation.

Even if I don't read the entire book, I think I'll read chapter 20 and part of chapter 22 because in each of these sections, Ms. Johnson (the teacher) talks about how each person has memories that he or she can write about and that everyone has a story but some of us are scared to write it and we call that fear writer's block.

It is just a beautifully written book and I recommend reading it for the poetic language alone.

"Strange how one day you can believe in something. And the next day you don't anymore. And then, when you don't have that thing anymore, you don't have anything." (p.95)

"If I could walk through the world and just touch people and lift their pains right out of their bodies, I'd never stop walking." (p. 60)

A Wrinkle in Time

Book #24 A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Meg Murray, her younger brother Charles Wallace and friend Calvin O'Keefe must find Mr. Murray, a physicist working to explore the 5th dimension, by traveling to other planets in other galaxies. They find that Mr. Murray is a prisoner on the planet Camazotz. On this planet, all suffering is gone and in exchange the people are expected to conform completely. It's a story of love, courage, and personal strength.


I read this book because I remember it being read to my 4th grade class. Read alouds were much different then and all we were to do was listen. There were no questions, no talking about the book...you just sat and listened and moved on with your day. This book is written at about a 6th grade level. While children can understand much higher levels when read to them, they still need some discussion of difficult or important parts to fully understand. I think this is why I remember enjoying some parts but being confused and not getting the whole story as a 4th grader.


It made me wonder, what would you be willing to give up to live in a seemingly perfect world with no suffering?

"Maybe if you aren't unhappy sometimes you don't know how to be happy." (p. 157)

The Giver

Book #23 The Giver by Lois Lowry

Where Jonas lives, life is safe, orderly, and predictable. Rules are strictly adhered to; every aspect of a person's life is carefully planned. People rarely make choices on their own; everything is decided for them by the community. There is no snow or sunshine, no colors or music, no animals or nature.

People in the community take special care to avoid doing or saying anything different. In the community, one must not say anything that causes discomfort to others, and one must use language precisely. Husbands and wives are matched as couples by a Committee of Elders who reviews each individual to see if a person's characteristics will be compatible with those of his mate. Exactly two children-one male and one female-are assigned to each family unit.

At the Ceremony of Twelve, children are given their job. Jonas is given the job of Receiver of Memories, the one person in the community who has access to all the memories of the past. He must keep these memories within himself until he can train a new Receiver to whom he can pass them. The Receiver has knowledge of things that no one in the community has access to, but the Receiver also has the responsibility to shoulder the burden of sorrow and pain that the memories bring.

I have read this book many times and I absolutely love it! I tried reading it to my 5th grade class and they didn't really get it. It's probably my fault though. I wasn't being a great teacher at the time and I just read it. Didn't ask questions, didn't clarify, I just read it. We also didn't finish because I was done student teaching. I will probably read it to my 6th graders but do a better job.

Lots of Books and TV

OK. I'm back with many books for all y'all...Yippee!!

Book#10 Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr

This is the true story of Sadako, a young girl who lived in Japan. She was born to be a runner and wins many relay races at school. She contracts leukemia due to the atom bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima. While in the hospital, she begins making paper cranes to pass time. Her goal is to make 1000. This is a book I was never really invested in. I didn't like the writing style and the book just seemed to end. I wanted so much more in this book. I wanted the characters to be more defined. I wanted to be grabbed by something, anything, but I wasn't. Though I didn't like it, I'm not saying it's a horrible book. It was recommended to me by someone I respect and I know she knows her children's lit so it was obviously just a story I didn't like.

Book #11 The Children's Story by James Clavell

This story is written very simply and i read in about 30 minutes. The reading level is probably about 3rd grade but I would not suggest using it with 3rd graders. This is actually a book I'd recommend teachers read and maybe use it in 6th grade and higher to talk about propaganda. The story takes place in a classroom. The students and old teacher are sitting and waiting. A young teacher comes in to replace the old teacher. This teacher asks many questions about why students do things. Why they pray, pledge allegiance to the flag, etc. She successfully indoctrinates the students to the new regime in a matter of minutes. It was an amazing story for me to read and realize how much influence a teacher has on his or her students. I would defiantly recommend adults read it then decide if they can read it to or with their students. This book was made into a TV movie in 1984. Here are the videos. They are horrible quality but you get to read the book without really reading it. Though I still suggest reading it because it only takes 30 minutes...30 MINUTES! Just read it!

Book #12 The Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi

I mentioned this book earlier but decided to read it again. I loved this book! Sookan is 10-years-old and lives in North Korea during the time when Japan had occupied it. The book's overarching theme, oppression, is one that most students in the United States have not dealt with the way that Sookan and her family do but oppression is something that happens every day all over the world and students need a safe outlet to experience it and decide what they would do in that situation. This book is really well written and it made me feel exactly what Sookan was feeling. Though I would love to read it in a classroom, you'd have to be careful with this because many girls are taken from the factory where Sookan's mother works to be "spirit girls." Though it is not said outright, these girls are basically sex slaves for the Japanese military. But it is so well written and gives students something to really think about that I would read it. Maybe just as a read aloud so I can skip over those parts? I don't know. Anyway, fantastic book!

Book #13 Hiroshima by Laurence Yep

This is a very short and factual book. It talks about what atom bombs are, WWII, Japan and its relationship with the United States at the time. It is laid out very simply so that someone with no knowledge would be able to understand the history presented in the book. One point I liked in particular is right after the bomb is dropped on Hiroshima, the pilot says something to the effect of 'What have we done?' This is an actual account and this pilot really did say this which gives the reader an insight into his mind. I also think it makes him more realistic.

Book #14 A Jar of Dreams by Yoshiko Uchida

This was another great book. Rinko is an 11-year-old girl growing up in California in the 1930's. Times are tough during the Great Depression for everyone but Rinko's family has it particularly difficult. This book has a little bit of violence but it's not so much that I would question its use in a classroom. It's a great book to show perseverance, integrity, and accepting yourself for who you are.

Wow. If you've made it this far, good for your! Give yourself a pat on the back! I have something to complain about. I wasn't feeling well on Tuesday night so I vegged in front of the TV. Now, since all good TV is gone because it's the end of the season, I was subjected to the worst excuse for a TV show I've seen in a long time...I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! Are you kidding NBC? Are you really that desperate? It's like if Survivor (which I also hate but would much rather watch that) and The Surreal Life had a baby you'd get this show. Ugh! It's horrible! I already have to see Heidi and Spencer and his flesh-colored beard dispensing their vanity and need for fame all over the place. But now I'm subjected to them on yet another show? Are we that stupid as a nation that we see this as good TV? The part I saw they dunked all the celebrities into a pit with snakes, spiders, cockroaches, etc. and who ever lasted the longest got immunity. But Heidi and Spencer and his flesh-colored beard said they were "too famous" to do something like that. TOO FAMOUS!?! UGH! I turned it off and watched golfing. It's horrible. Your brain turns to goo if you watch it. Read one of my books instead!

More Mice and Rats and I Have a Job!

Book #9: The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

This is a very sweet book. It's about the adventures of an unusually small mouse, Despereaux Tilling, the princess he loves, a servant girl who wants to be princess and a rat who is determined to bring them all to ruin. It's a magical fairy tale that I think even boys would enjoy. I give this book 5 stars.

"Nothing is sweeter in this sad world than the sound of someone you love calling your name. Nothing." (p. 258)


The job hunt is over!
Yesterday evening, I accepted a job as a 6th grade teacher. I will be on B track which means I start July 27th. Though I only get a 3 week summer (next year) I do get the ENTIRE month of December off. That is freaking amazing! And we have Thanksgiving break, go to school for 5 days, go off track for 3 weeks. Pretty sweet. I think I'm going to like this track business. I am very excited to get started and I think this school will be a very good fit for me. I am going to tour the school and meet my team some time next week (probably Wednesday) and I'll keep everyone updated.

Rats, Unemployment and (over the counter)Drug Induced Dreams

Book #3: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien
If you want a book that will make you like rats and mice, this is it. I hate mice and rats, ewww, disgusting! But I loved the characters--Mrs. Frisby, her mice children, Nicodemus, Justin, Mr. Ages, Brutus--all of which were mice and rats. In the end I almost shed a tear. It was a great book in which if you're anything like me you will identify with the characters (yes, they're mice and rats) and want to live their cool little lives. This book also won a Newbery Medal and I can see why. It is excellently written. Another aspect I enjoyed with this book is that it was written in 1971 (38 years ago!) but is still relevant and still a good read. I think, if not already classified as this, it will become a classic. I give this book 5 stars!

The plus side of being unemployed

-I can sleep until 10 am, eat breakfast then go straight back to bed

-With all this extra sleep, my body is recuperating quite quickly

-I'm reading daily

-I don't have to shower every day

-I'm dreaming again (I think I have to have at least 7 hours of sleep a night for a long period of time for this dreaming thing to happen)

-I am able to make it to family and friend get togethers

What I've learned over the past 3 nights

Benadryl Allergy + Melatonin - an alarm clock = Super Crazy Dreams

I don't remember the details but I was "dating" some guy or maybe we had just met. He had a son. We all ate ice cream. The son wanted more ice cream but there wasn't any more. The dad had to leave. I was bummed. So I packed up my stuff (we were sleeping (not in the same bed or even the same room, my dreaming self is not a super slut) at my grandparent's house but it was more like a motel) and accidentally bumped into him as we both left.

There were 3 more last night that I think would fit better into the "crazy dream" category but I don't remember any details though I do remember waking up after one, saying the details and going back to sleep.

Book #2 and My Body is on a Suicide Mission

Today's book is Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney.

This book is written in JOURNAL style, not diary style. It is the story of Greg Heffley's life in middle school. It follows him from the first day of school to the last. It is written from 4th to 6th grade and has humor that is very suitable for them. That being said, I laughed out loud at a few parts. Here is an example: Greg's mom tells him he needs to write thank you letters to everyone he received a Christmas present from. At first this is very difficult for him but then he realizes he can write a form letter and just fill in the blanks. It works well at first but he soon comes to a problem. Here is the problem letter (italics are the parts Greg fills in):


Dear Aunt Loretta,


Thank you so much for the awesome pants ! How did you know I wanted that for Christmas?


I love the way the pants looks on my legs !


All my friends will be so jealous that I have my very own pants .


Thank you for making this the best Christmas ever!

Sincerely, Greg

The journal entries are also illustrated which is what makes the book so fabulous! This is again a very quick read because of the style.

I'm giving this book 5 stars which, if you remember my system, translates to: "Why hasn't everyone read this yet?!!"

Words of wisdom by Greg Heffley:

"Let me just say for the record that I think middle school is the dumbest idea ever invented. You got kids like me who haven't hit their growth spurt yet mixed in with these gorillas who need to shave twice a day. And then they wonder why bullying is such a big problem in middle school," (p.3).


On to My Body is on a Suicide Mission.

Honestly, what does my body think it's doing?

Here are the facts:

1. I have had the WORST allergies of my life this year and nothing is working to alleviate them.

2. I have a hacking cough which with my PhD., I am going to diagnose it as Swine Flu (no I'm not over reacting!)

3. There are large, hard bumps behind both of my ears that hurt as bad as giving birth without an epidural (again, I'm not over reacting, though I've never had children). I'm diagnosing this one as cancer (with the help of WebMD) or it's just the bone. I'm hoping for just a bone.

4. My broken toe was doing just fine and now it really hurts. Hello! I'm going to the doctor tomorrow so he can say I don't have to wear the stupid boot any more. Be a nice little bone and heal already!

5. My right knee is spasming. It may be because I put a lot of weight on it due to the above mentioned injury but I don't know.

6. I've had a migraine for 5 days straight.

Seriously! What is wrong body? I should probably see a doctor. Ugh. I hate going to the doctor. But I'll do it so I can stop being paranoid.