Book Round-Up for August 29: Finishing Up Summer Reading

Something I've learned about myself is that I have a latent competitive streak. While it doesn't always manifest itself, it can be a dangerous and powerful thing when it does emerge. It doesn't translate to sports (at which I am terrible at) or even in situations that seem competitive (think trivia night contents). However, it comes out in full force when I am competing against myself. This is particularly true when it comes to reading and books. I keep up with the books I read each year on my personal LibraryThing account, and I always want to beat my previous year's tally.

This usually translates to a great excuse to spend lots of quality time reading during the summer, which is really one of the only times I have to dedicate myself to pleasure reading for an extended period. However, summer is also a time to read books for the new school year, particularly in preparation for the YAL and trade book suggestions I provide for my students. So, without further ado, here are some books I read this summer but that I didn't write about in another round-up.

picture from
Jacqueline Woodson's website

Book Round-Up for May 30, 2016

Over the past few months, I've been fortunate to receive a number of books from Macmillan and other sources, and I've been trying to think of a way to share my thoughts on these books and help others learn about them. To do this, I'm experimenting with an ongoing series of posts for this blog in the form of a semi-regular book round-up. These will consist of quick takes and some brief reviews on books that I find interesting and/or notable. Many of these books will be new, some will be new-to-me, and others will be some of my old favorites.

SLJ TeenLive 2016 is Coming!

This week, I got an email about SLJ TeenLive 2016 event, which will be on August 10, 2016. This free virtual conference, which used to be called SummerTeen, is in its fifth year, and it just keeps getting better and better. The conference features keynote speakers (this year they are Meg Medina, the author of Burn Baby Burn, and Maggie Stiefvater, the author of The Raven King), panel discussion, and a virtual exhibit hall where attendees can ask questions, learn about new books, enter contests, and more. If you are interested in young adult literature, I highly recommend this event! It's fun and informative, and you can do it at your own pace (and in your pajamas if you are so inclined).

For more information or to register, click on the banner above or go to the registration page.

The Young Adult Library Project, Part III: LibraryThing App & TinyCat

Happy (almost) summer! After an unanticipated hiatus, I'm back to blogging, and I hope to keep it up on a semi-regular basis this summer and into the new academic year. One of the things that has spurred me to resume blogging are some new features, the LibraryThing App and TinyCat, that LibraryThing (which I have blogged about several times before) has unveiled over the past few months. These features add a great deal of functionality to what was already a great resource, particularly when it comes to maintaining a small library.

The State of Reading for the Year (So Far)

I can't believe that November is just a week away! Besides being the beginning of the end of the semester, November is the beginning of the craziness of the holiday season. It also has the annual NCTE conference and ALAN Workshop, two of my favorite professional development events.

However, before diving head-first into November, I wanted to reflect on the reading I've done so far this year. While I don't know how much more I'll be able to accomplish in the next two months (grading and traveling will be eating up a lot of time), I'm pretty proud of the number of books I have read. My official count is 60 books, and while I still at least 14 to go if I want to catch up with the number I read in 2014, it is still a decent accomplishment. Here are some of my favorites books from this year so far:

October's Professional Development Opportunities

While I can't believe that it is October already (and that we are only two weeks away from fall break, which marks the mid-point in the semester), the chilly, rainy weather in my little corner of the Midwest assures me that October is here. Besides fall break, cooler temperatures, and Halloween, October also marks a time when things seem to get even busier at schools. While it can be hard to find (or make) time for professional development, I've found that PD can be an invigorating and inspiring. Fortunately, there is a plethora of free online opportunities that can work with crazy schedules.

Book Review: Hope Against Hope - Three Schools. One City, and the Struggle to Educate America's Children

Sometimes you find the right book at the right time. This was my experience with Sarah Carr's Hope Against Hope: Three Schools, One City, and the Struggle to Educate America's Children. I was somewhat reluctant to start it; since so much of my time and energy is spent on education and thinking about, studying, and discussing the state of education, I try to find other topics to read about in my spare time. However, I spied it at a library book sale and was intrigued. My last year teaching high school, several students from New Orleans attended my school after Hurricane. Katrina, and during my time in Boston, I remember discussing the changes that were happening in New Orleans. Since August 2015 marked the 10-year anniversary of the storm that changed the city, I thought that now was the right time to learn more about the school system there, and I am so glad I did this. 

September's Professional Development Opportunities

In August, #nctechat's topic was professional learning networks (PLNs), which is near and dear to my heart. Near the end of the chat, the participants were asked to share their goals regarding PLNs in the next school year. One of my goals is to keep active in my PLN, which is easier said than done. Based on the first week of classes, this looks to be a busy semester! Luckily, there are some great professional development opportunities this month to help keep me engaged with my network and to provide support, ideas, and enthusiasm, even as things get busy.

A (Very) Belated Happy New Year!

I apologize for my long absence from the blog, but the end of the fall semester was especially difficult. Besides the typical end-of-the-semester craziness of grades and finals, I managed to get the flu and food poisoning, so I spent most of the last three weeks of the semester very sick. However, that is in the past, and I'm trying to get ready for the spring semester. With this goal in mind, I turned to one of my favorite poems. To those of you getting ready to return to school (or who have already started), good luck and be ready to "ring in the new"!

In Memoriam (Ring out, wild bells)
by Lord Alfred Tennyson

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
   The flying cloud, the frosty light:
   The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
   Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
   The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind
   For those that here we see no more;
   Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
   And ancient forms of party strife;
   Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
   The faithless coldness of the times;
   Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
   The civic slander and the spite;
   Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease;
   Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
   Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
   The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
   Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.

So Much to Read, So Little Time - October 2014

Since my school is having its fall break this week, I've been playing catch-up with all of the work that has been backlogged during the first half of the semester. Besides straitening my office, planning lessons, and grading papers, I've also been trying to do some more reading. I'm teaching a content-area reading course for the first time, and while it has required a lot of preparation and work, I've really enjoyed it. A new course is a great way to keep teaching fresh, since it forces me to start from scratch with the class objectives, assignments, readings, and activities. This particular course presents an additional challenge because I wanted to dedicate several weeks to supplementing content-area textbooks with articles and trade books. Consequently, I've been trying to do some extra reading in order to be able to share books with my students. Here's a partial list of books I've read this fall for my content area reading course:

Angel Island: Gateway to Gold Mountain - Intended for middle school students, this book examines the legacy of Angel Island, which some called the "Ellis Island of the West." However, despite this nickname, the immigrants who passed through Angel Island were often treated very differently than those who came through Ellis Island. This would be a great resource to use with middle school students who are studying immigration.

The End of the Line - This is an elementary/middle grade fictional story set in Amsterdam during World War II, and it follows two elderly brothers as they try to protect and care for a young Jewish girl whose mother is taken away by the Nazis. While the premise sounds intense, the book manages to provide accurate information about life during the Holocaust without being too graphic. However, I'm not certain that this is a book I'd use in an elementary or middle school class (the publisher page notes that it is intended for ages 8 - 11). Some elementary students might not be ready for such a heavy topic while middle school students might find the book too simple. That said, The End of the Line might work well as an alternative text in a middle school social studies class because it offers a perspective not always included in textbooks (the experiences of civilians during war) and because it could be a good text for struggling readers.

Kid Presidents: True Tales of Childhood from America's Presidents - I received this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program, and while it seems a little young for middle school, it has some interesting and fun trivia. For middle schoolers, I'd probably use the trivia at the beginning of the unit (or throughout it) to engage the students with the different presidents. Additionally, the book could be a good model for a final project where students would find trivia on the different presidents and compile it in a children's book for elementary students.

In the Shadow of No Towers - Unlike the previous books, this book is definitely more suited for high school students. Written and illustrated by Art Spiegleman, In the Shadow of No Towers examines the events and aftermath of September 11 from a New Yorker's point of view. The book has some adult themes and language, so it might not work for all high schools, but it is work reading and examining because of the way it captures the experience of being in New York during those dark and troubling times.

Do the Math: Secrets, Lies, and Algebra - One distinct challenge about reading in the content areas is finding fictional books that would appeal to teens while also fitting in a particular subject. Do the Math manages to have a (relatively) strong connection with math while also being an engaging and accessible read. In it, Tess, an eighth grader who loves math and thinks about people and situations in terms of math problems, must deal with the social drama that comes with middle school while also confronting some moral dilemmas.

Math Doesn't Suck: How to Survive Middle School Math without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail - Danica McKellar (aka Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years) wrote this nonfiction book to show girls that math can be approachable and fun. I applaud the effort, and McKellar does a nice job explaining and walking the reader through different mathematical concepts in a way that is understandable, even for people who aren't that skilled in the subject. However, I'm torn about the way the information is presented, since it could be a little too girly or cutesy for some. That said, I could see it being effective for a specific group of students.

What have you been reading this fall? Do you have any suggestions for books that might work in a middle or high school content classroom? Please leave your comments and thoughts below!

Questions and Topics to Explore for Banned Books Week

In the United States, it can be easy to assume that censorship is something that doesn't happen here. It is something sinister and shady that only happens in other places or at other times untouched by such protections as the First Amendment. However, Banned Books Week is a time to remind us that censorship is an all-too-real threat here and now. When I teach my education students (and when I taught high school), I like to use Banned Books Week as an entry point for us to discuss some difficult concepts and questions. For my English education students, the issue of banned or challenged books is an all-too-real threat, and this gives them the chance to discuss and think through their conceptions and concerns. For my other students, this provides us the opportunity to think about curriculum and the potential controversies that might exist in their subject areas. The questions and issues we consider might include:

September's #nctechat on Comics & Graphic Novels is Sept. 21

In preparation for Banned Books Week (Sept. 21 - 27), this month's #nctechat is on comics and graphic novels in the classroom. Join in the conversation on Sunday, September 21 at 8:00 pm ET.

Helpful hints for participating in #nctechat:

• NCTE puts the chat up on Storify afterwards so you can go back and review what was said (or you can read people's responses if you couldn't make the chat). For instance, you can see July's #nctechat on the teacher as writer.
• For the sake of your sanity (and because there is often a lag on Twitter with the most recent tweets), you might want to use a tool like TweetDeck or TweetChat when participating. I'm partial to TweetChat because I find it more straightforward than TweetDeck (and its many columns). I also love that it automatically adds the hashtag to any tweet I do.
• If you've never participated in #nctechat, don't be shy - it is a fun and welcoming group. You don't have to respond to every (or any) question on conversation that is happening. If you do decide to join in, just be certain to use the hashtag when responding. Also, be certain to denote which question you are answering (for instance, if you are responding to question 1, put A1 at the beginning of your tweet).

Do you have questions, comments, or concerns? Please feel free to leave a comment or send me a tweet.

Free Education Webinars Coming in September 2014

I can't believe that September is almost here! While the weather is currently warm and muggy (at least in northern Indiana), soon the air will turn crisp and cool, and summer will be a distant memory. Before that happens and before the semester gets too busy, now is a good time to look at some of the free virtual professional development opportunities on the horizon.

Books (Professional & Otherwise) for ReadaThing

LibraryThing's ReadaThing has already started, and while I'm not scheduled to start my official reading until later today, I have several books that I hope to read (and possibly finish) this weekend. While many are related to teaching in some way, I also have some that are just for fun. My to be read/to be finished pile for this weekend includes:

• How We Learn by Benedict Carey - I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program and am about halfway through. Carey provides a nice balance of research study overviews and personal anecdotes to help illustrate the fact that things like distractions, forgetting, and changes of scenery can actually help our learning.
• Making the Match: The Right Book for the Right Reader at the Right Time by Teri Lesesne
• How to Read Literature Like a Professor Revised by Thomas C. Foster - I have a great fondness for the first version of this book, and I'm excited to see the changes and additions Foster made to this new edition.
• A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children by Caroline Kennedy
• A Nancy Drew book - I have several of the reprints that Applewood did of the original Nancy Drew books, and while I've read them before, I'm looking forward to having the chance to revisit them.

What are you planning to read this weekend (for ReadaThing or otherwise)?

LibraryThing's August/September ReadaThing

Since the start of August (and the unofficial end of summer break), my schedule has been filled with meetings, planning, and class prep. Consequently, it has been hard to find (or to justify) time to just read for fun. Luckily, LibraryThing, which is one of my favorite websites and teacher resources, is holding its ReadaThing Labor Day (US) Weekend. From August 28 - September 2 (the dates/times depend upon your location), you can sign up to participate for an hour or two or more. Participation means that you read at a particular time. However, if you know that you will be reading but you aren't able to commit to a specific time, you can still sign up outside of the timeline.

While I don't know where I'll be in terms of my reading by the time August 28 rolls around, I'm hoping to follow Daniels and Zemelman's idea for a "balanced diet of reading" from Subjects Matter and read a mix of professional texts and trade books.

Will you be participating in ReadaThing in an official (or unofficial) way? If so, is there anything you hope to read? Let me know in the comments!