tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84109305961612680512024-02-02T01:48:07.539-06:00Next Best Booka place where I can share my thinking about the books I read.Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.comBlogger520125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-46008124516112774482017-07-17T08:01:00.002-05:002017-07-17T08:01:31.049-05:00It's Monday! Here's what I've been reading! July 17, 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been a while since I last posted my weekly reading round up! Summer has been awesome and busy, and I find I haven't always been near my computer to write my post. I've been reading A LOT this summer, and I've been finding awesome books to share with my 3rd graders in the fall.<br />
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Here's what I read this week:<br />
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<li><i>A Good Day for a Hat</i> by T.Nat Fuller (July 13, 2017) Cute picture book about a bear and his hats.</li>
<li><i>Morris Mole</i> by Dan Yaccarino (July 13, 2017) Picture book about the benefits doing your own thing.</li>
<li><i>A Beetle is Shy</i> by Dianna Hutts Aston (July 13, 2017) Gorgeous informational book.</li>
<li><i>Uncorker of Ocean Bottles</i> by Michelle Cuevas (July 13, 2017) Beautifully illustrated picture book about purpose.</li>
<li><i>The Mermaid’s Purse</i> by Patricia Polacco (July 13, 2017) Classic Polacco. Need I say more?</li>
<li><i>Blue Sky White Stars</i> by Sarvinder Maberhaus (July 13, 2017) Paintings in this one from Kadir Nelson paired with spare text make for a thoughtful take on America.</li>
<li><i>Al Franken Giant of the Senate</i> by Al Franken (July 13, 2017) Grown-up book! Interesting look at Al Franken's political career.</li>
<li>Day of the Duchess by Sarah MacLean (July 16, 2017) Summer indulgence. Romance novel.</li>
<li><i>Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer</i> by Kelly Jones (July 16, 2017) Quirky novel in letters that I'm planning to buy for my classroom library. </li>
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This week I'll read more picture books that arrived over the weekend, and I plan to knock out a few middle grade novels as well. I'm also behind on my professional reading, so I'll spend some time there as well.<div>
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Don't forget to head over to <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" target="_blank">Unleashing Readers</a> or <a href="http://www.teachmentortexts.com/" target="_blank">Teach Mentor Texts</a> to link up your weekly reading!</div>
Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-5970291618622403142017-06-30T00:00:00.000-05:002017-06-30T00:00:26.353-05:00Stef Soto, Taco Queen by Jennifer Torres<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Stef Soto, Taco Queen</i> by Jennifer Torres</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Little, Brown and Company, 2017</span><br />
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Summary from publisher: <i>Estafania "Stef" Soto just wants to be like all the other seventh graders at Saint Scholastica School. She is itching to shake off the onion-and-cilantro aroma of Tia Perla, her family's taco truck, and she wants her papi to get an ordinary job so that he can pick her up from school in a normal car (or better yet, let her walk home alone). Maybe then Julia, her former best friend, would stop calling her the Taco Queen.</i><br />
<i>But when new city regulations threaten her papi's business, it looks like her wish will finally come true, and her family's hard work will be for nothing. Surprising everyone (including herself), Stef will have to dig deep to discover what matters most and maybe even embrace an identity that includes old Tia Perla.</i><br />
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This year I have committed to really considering the diversity of my classroom library. I want to make sure I have books that tell lots of different stories, that will provide my students with a broad view of the world. I was thrilled to learn about <i>Stef Soto, Taco Queen</i> through a recommendation on Twitter, because it sounded like the perfect book to add to my collection. And it is, for more reasons than one!<br />
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In this middle grade debut, Torres gives us a glimpse into the life of Stef, a girl torn between loving her Mexican heritage and wanting to fit in with the other girls in her class. Stef's struggle to find her place is a relatable one; anybody who has lived through the gauntlet of seventh grade will understand Stef's desire to not stand out. But Torres also shows readers how this desire to fit in is magnified for Stef, whose parents are immigrants working hard to achieve the American dream. It's even more complicated, especially once her family's livelihood is threatened.<br />
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Torres writes with heart, drawing the reader in to Stef's middle school world. From the very start, I felt connected to Stef and cheered for her, even when I didn't like the decisions she made. Stef feels like a real kid; she's not perfect and she muddles things up. But she figures out how to make things right in the end.<br />
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Hand this book to readers who enjoy realistic fiction stories that feature family relationships and friendships. I think this book would also make a great read-aloud in upper elementary classrooms and could serve as the foundation for some amazing classroom conversations.<br />
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<br />Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-9859005408533248832017-06-29T07:54:00.003-05:002017-06-29T07:56:05.158-05:00Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel by Kimberly Willis Holt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">by Kimberly Willis Holt</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Christy Ottaviano Books, 2017</span><br />
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Summary from publisher: <i>Stevie's life seems safe and full of love until the day tragedy strikes. Stevie is sent to live with her estranged grandfather, Winston, at his run-down motel. Though the colorful tenants who inhabit the motel are quickly charmed by Stevie, she struggles to connect with her grandfather. What dark secret is he keeping from her? It will take another difficult departure for Winston to realize just how strongly Stevie has taken root at the motel -- and his heart.</i><br />
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This is one of those quiet novels that grab you by the heart from almost the first page and just pull you in to the character's story. Stevie loses both of her parents in a tragic accident at her family's farm, and in the deepest grief imaginable for a child. She desperately is looking for ways to stay connected to the two people she loves most in the world, and she is increasingly frustrated by Winston, who seems completely unwilling to discuss anything about his daughter or her husband. As Stevie lets the people at the Texas Sunrise Motel into her heart, she begins to piece the story together for herself, and sees her grandfather through different eyes.<br />
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Kimberly Willis Holt writes about Stevie's grief in a way that honors it. Sometimes, when writing about kids who've lost parents, adults don't get it quite right. The lost parent is a common trope in YA books, especially, clearing the way for the adolescent protagonist to save the world. That doesn't happen here. Stevie is hurting and confused and unsure of the way ahead, and Holt lets her work through that grief in a way that feels real.<br />
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Hand this book to a reader who enjoys realistic fiction books about families. There is much here for a middle grade reader to think about and consider.Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-66742438520394063502017-06-14T00:00:00.000-05:002017-06-14T00:00:40.798-05:00Cilla Lee-Jenkins Future Author Extraordinaire by Susan Tan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cilla Lee-Jenkins Future Author Extraordinaire </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">by Susan Tan</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Roaring Brook Press, 2017</span><br />
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<b>Summary from publisher:</b> <i>Cilla Lee- Jenkins is on a tight deadline. her baby sister is about to be born, and Cilla needs to become a bestselling author before her family forgets all about her. So she writes about what she knows best -- herself! Stories from Cilla's memoir include:</i><br />
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<li><i>how she dealt with being bald until she was five</i></li>
<li><i>how she overcame her struggles with reading</i></li>
<li><i>how family traditions with her Grandma and Grandpa Jenkins and her Chinese grandparents, Nai Nai and Ye Ye, are so different</i></li>
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<i>Debut author Susan Tan has written a story filled with love and humor, told in the voice of a bright, irresistible protagonist who will win your heart and make you laugh.</i><br />
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I'm always on the lookout for realistic fiction books that my students can relate to but that will still give them lots to think about. This is a book that fits the bill. Cilla is a girl who knows what she wants to be, and she works hard to get there. Though she doesn't always get things quite right (like thinking her family will no longer remember who she is once her baby sister is born), she ends up doing the right thing in the end.<br />
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Younger middle grade readers will appreciate Cilla's quirky sense of humor and her friendships and relationships with her family. They will see that Cilla makes mistakes, but she also learns from them. They will appreciate that author Susan Tan understands that though they may be young, they are not dumb; she does not talk down to the kids who will be reading her book.<br />
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This book would make a fun read-aloud for third or fourth grade classrooms. Both kids and adults will have lots to talk about, whether it is Cilla's struggle to learn to read, her grandparents, or the imminent arrival of a baby sister. It's going on my list of read-aloud books for the fall.<br />
<br />Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-63008748144096829082017-06-12T00:00:00.000-05:002017-06-12T00:00:01.279-05:00SPUTNIK'S GUIDE TO LIFE ON EARTH Blog Tour & Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">by Frank Cottrell Boyce</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Walden Pond Press, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Summary from Publisher: </b> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>Award-winning author Frank Cottrell Boyce returns with another one-of-a-kind story of heart, humor, and finding one’s place in the universe.</i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><i>Prez knows that the best way to keep track of things is to make a list. That's important when you have a grandfather who is constantly forgetting. And it's even more important when your grandfather can't care for you anymore and you have to go live with a foster family out in the country.</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><i>Prez is still learning to fit in at his new home when he answers the door to meet Sputnik—a kid who is more than a little strange. First, he can hear what Prez is thinking. Second, he looks like a dog to everyone except Prez. Third, he can manipulate the laws of space and time. Sputnik, it turns out is an alien, and he's got a mission that requires Prez's help: the Earth has been marked for destruction, and the only way they can stop it is to come up with ten reasons why the planet should be saved</i>.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">I am not shy to admit that I am a big fan of Frank Cottrell Boyce. His books often tackle big issue wrapped in humor and heart, and <i>Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth</i> is no different. From the first page, I knew I was going to be rooting for Prez, no matter where the twists and turns of the plot would take him. He's a lost boy... taken from everything he knows and placed in foster care, worried about his forgetful Grandad, and unsure what the future has in store. He copes by going silent, by choosing not to speak, as if keeping his feelings inside makes his situation less real.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">I also liked quirky Sputnik. Is he a boy? Is he a dog? Depends on how you see him! This endearing alien takes Prez out of his comfort zone and into more trouble than Prez ever imagined, but at the same time helping him find Grandad and a measure of peace.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">This is one of those books that you can hand to just about anybody. It's got the feel of realistic fiction but also has elements of fantasy. Kids will relate to Prez and his feeling of having little control over his own situation and will secretly wish they have a friend like Sputnik to shake their lives up a bit.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfIdaYd-xT2LI1EalXg34_i1NlynoSsFfvtZJS8g9w14BZ_Yw/viewform?usp=sf_link" target="_blank">Enter to win a copy of Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth!</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Frank Cottrell Boyce is the author of <i>Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth, The Astounding Broccoli Boy, Cosmic, Framed</i>, and <i>Millions</i>, the last of which was a New York Times bestseller and was made into a movie by Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle. His books have won or been nominated for numerous awards, including the Carnegie Medal, the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, and the Whitbread Children's Book Award. Frank is also a screenwriter, having penned the scripts for a number of feature films as well as the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics. He lives in Liverpool with his family.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Be sure to check out the other stops on the <i>Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth</i> Blog Tour:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">June 5</span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="https://medinger.wordpress.com/">Educating Alice</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1">June 6</span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://walden-media.tumblr.com/">Walden Media Tumblr</a></span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="x-msg://25/kirsticall.com">Kirsticall.com</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1">June 7</span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://litcoachlou.blogspot.com/">Litcoach Lou</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1">June 8</span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="https://novelnovice.com/">Novel Novice</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1">June 9</span></div>
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<span class="s2">The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia</span></div>
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<span class="s1">June 11</span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/">Librarian's Quest</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1">June 12</span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://nextbestbook.blogspot.com/">Next Best Book</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1">June 13</span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://mrsknottsbooknook.blogspot.com/">Mrs. Knott's Book Nook</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1">June 14</span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="https://thebookmonsters.com/">Book Monsters</a></span></div>
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</style>Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-8406236224830130492017-06-05T00:00:00.000-05:002017-06-05T00:00:28.186-05:00It's Monday! Here's What I've Been Reading - June 5, 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Monday!<br />
This is my last week of school, and things have been absolutely crazy in my life. For the past few weeks, I've only managed to finish one book a week, so I haven't posted. This post will go all the way back to May 23! :-(<br />
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Here's what I've been reading:<br />
<ul>
<li><i>Bob, Not Bob!</i> by Liz Garton Scanlon & Audrey Vernick (May 22, 2017) Hilarious picture book about a boy with a cold</li>
<li><i>The All Saw a Cat</i> by Brendan Wenzel (May 22, 2017) A beautiful look at perspective. Can't wait to use this with my 3rd graders.</li>
<li><i>If I Had a Little Dream</i> by Nina Laden (May 22, 2017) Picture book with great art that my daughter picked out at our book fair.</li>
<li><i>Disrupting Thinking</i> by Kylene Beers and Robert Probst (May 26, 2017) Thought provoking professional development book.</li>
<li><i>These Hands</i> by Margaret Mason (May 26, 2017) Gorgeous picture book that looks at the civil rights movement in a different way.</li>
<li><i>The Girl Who Knew Too Much </i>by Amanda Quick (May 29, 2017) Grown-up mystery/romance.</li>
<li><i>Cilla Lee-Jenkins: Future Author Extraordinaire</i> by Susan Tan (May 29, 2017) Loved this new MG about a girl going through a big life change (the birth of a baby sister) and adjusting to a new normal.</li>
<li><i>Cleopatra Edison Oliver, CEO</i> by Sundee Frazier (May 31, 2017) MG novel about a go-getter female main character.</li>
<li><i>Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel</i> by Kimberly Willis Holt (June 3, 2017) Gorgeous older middle grade novel about a girl who goes to live with a grandfather she never knew.</li>
<li><i>She Persisted </i>by Chelsea Clinton (June 4, 2017) True stories of 13 American women who persisted and changed the world.</li>
<li><i>This is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids From Around the World</i> by Matt Lamothe (June 4, 2017) Amazing picture book that is exactly what the title says it is</li>
</ul>
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This week I hope to make my summer PD reading stack and make a plan for my summer reading. I have bought so many professional books this year, and I haven't had time to read many of them. I also will get at least one MG novel in. After Thursday, my reading time will SERIOUSLY increase!</div>
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Don't forget to stop by<a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" target="_blank"> Unleashing Readers</a> or <a href="http://www.teachmentortexts.com/#axzz4j5cVxlXZ" target="_blank">TeachMentorTexts</a> to link up your weekly reading roundup!</div>
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Happy reading!</div>
Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-49911310559110276622017-05-22T04:55:00.002-05:002017-05-22T04:55:50.705-05:00It's Monday! Here's What I've Been Reading - May 22, 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /><br />Happy Monday!<br /><br />The past couple of weeks have been INSANE with commitments that filled up my evenings, so I've barely had time to read. I was finishing only ONE book a week! Not like me at all! This week was a bit better, and I managed to squeeze in some early reader chapter books and a graphic novel.<br /><br />Here's my reading for the past few weeks:<br /><ul>
<li><i>Tornado Terror</i> (<i>I Survived</i> True Stories) by Lauren Tarshis (May 12, 2017) Two true stories of survivors of horrible tornadoes. Nice nonfiction companion to the <i>I Survived</i> stories.</li>
<li><i>Seven Stories Up</i> by Laurel Snyder (May 18, 2017) Magical realism MG novel about a girl who travels back in time and meets her grandmother. </li>
<li><i>The Kid From Planet Z: Crash!</i> by Nancy Krulik (May 20, 2017) Early reader science fiction about a boy-alien whose family crash lands on Earth. Cute and funny.</li>
<li><i>The Kid From Planet Z: Don’t Sneeze!</i> by Nancy Krulik (May 20, 2017) More of the same.</li>
<li><i>Mighty Jack</i> by Ben Hatke (May 21, 2017) Great first entry into a new graphic novel series by the author of <i>Zita the Spacegirl</i>.</li>
</ul>
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My reading plan for this week is to finish <i>Cilla Lee-Jenkis: Future Author Extraordinaire</i> and continue reading my way through my GIANT TBR pile. I have to say... I'm looking forward to binge reading a bit when school gets out!</div>
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Don't forget to head over to <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" target="_blank">Unleashing Readers</a> or <a href="http://www.teachmentortexts.com/#axzz4hnfFuV4o" target="_blank">Teach Mentor Texts</a> to link up your weekly reading list!</div>
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Happy reading!</div>
Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-76622307611300629332017-05-08T00:00:00.000-05:002017-05-08T00:00:19.000-05:00It's Monday! Here's What I've Been Reading: May 8, 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Monday!<br />
I didn't post last Monday because I would have had only one book on my list! It's getting to be the time of year when my family is crazy-busy with concerts, plays, and other celebrations, which seriously cut into my reading time. For example, last weekend, I traveled south to my hometown of Belleville, Illinois, to celebrate my aunt and uncle's fortieth wedding anniversary. Abby went with me so I would have company, but since she's only twelve, I had to do all the driving. When I'm driving that distance (5 hours!), I find I can't listen to an audiobook. I get too tired, which is not the case when I am reading a print book. So Abby and I had five hours worth of Broadway SingAlong With Mom: <i>Hamilton, Les Miserables, Wicked</i>.<br />
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This week was a bit better in the reading department. Here's what I read:<br />
<ul>
<li><i>The Way Home Looks Now</i> by Wendy Wan-Long Shang (April 25, 2017) MG historical fiction set in the late 60s. Deals with depression (a parent) and loss of a sibling along with finding one's place.</li>
<li><i>York: The Shadow Cipher</i> by Laura Ruby (May 5, 2017) New MG mystery coming from Walden Pond Press this month. Great for people who love solving puzzles as they read a la Blue Balliett</li>
<li><i>The Inventors of Lego Toys</i> by Erin Hagar (May 6, 2017) MG biography. </li>
<li><i>Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally)</i> by Lisa Yee (May 6, 2017) Cute transitional chapter book illustrated by Dan Santat about friendship.</li>
<li><i>Love That Dog</i> by Sharon Creech (May 6, 2017) Classic novel in verse from a master.</li>
</ul>
Hard to believe, but right now I don't have a book started. I grabbed <i>Tornado Terror</i> (from the <i>I Survived: True Stories</i> series from Scholastic) out of my bag last night, but I don't know if I'm actually going to read it this week or not. We'll see where the week takes me!<div>
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Don't forget to head over to <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" target="_blank">Unleashing Readers</a> or <a href="http://www.teachmentortexts.com/" target="_blank">Teach Mentor Texts</a> to link up your list of great reads!</div>
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Happy Reading!</div>
<div>
Mindi</div>
Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-62352563898345623142017-05-04T00:00:00.000-05:002017-05-04T00:00:09.969-05:00YORK Blog Tour & Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogE1SO_jYxwgOetw0hmsFoq7ublVIsy-mqURAO4LVMZksAbke37YoN0nq5B8XKuno3yHUQvNF5szSya-pZGB6_pe8d1oPyMk7uSBSkPdlMemc_PEaS3nhbP3BKn07erSdfB1mNeACah9o/s1600/170406-York-blog-A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogE1SO_jYxwgOetw0hmsFoq7ublVIsy-mqURAO4LVMZksAbke37YoN0nq5B8XKuno3yHUQvNF5szSya-pZGB6_pe8d1oPyMk7uSBSkPdlMemc_PEaS3nhbP3BKn07erSdfB1mNeACah9o/s640/170406-York-blog-A.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>York Book 1: The Shadow Cipher</i> by Laura Ruby</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">(Walden Pond Press, 2017)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Summary from publisher:</b></span><br />
<i>It was 1798 when the Morningstarr twins arrived in New York with a vision for a magnificent city: towering skyscrapers, dazzling machines, and winding train lines, all running on technology no one had ever seen before. Fifty-seven years later, the enigmatic architects disappeared, leaving behind for the people of New York the Old York Cipher — a puzzle laid into the shining city they constructed, at the end of which was promised a treasure beyond all imagining. By the present day however, the puzzle has never been solved, and the greatest mystery of the modern world is little more than a tourist attraction.<br /><br />Tess and Theo Biedermann and their friend Jaime Cruz live in a Morningstarr apartment house — until a real estate developer announces that the city has agreed to sell him the five remaining Morningstarr buildings. Their likely destruction means the end of a dream long-held by the people of New York. And if Tess, Theo, and Jaime want to save their home, they have to prove that the Old York Cipher is real. Which means they have to solve it.</i><br /><br />From the very first page of the prologue, I was hooked on this puzzle of a novel. Though I'm not usually a fan of mysteries, Ruby's character development and the pacing of the plot kept me turning the pages - to the point that I didn't want to put the book down to go to school!<br /><br />Tess, Theo, and Jaime are wicked-smart kids who set off to solve a hundred-year-old puzzle. Though their exploits would not seem plausible in most respects, in the world Ruby creates they are completely believable. She manages to take reality and give it a steampunk twist, so that the reader feels like the story is taking place TODAY in New York City, but maybe not actually today. The other-reality of this New York adds to the mystery and in some ways becomes a character itself. I want to go visit this New York with it's street-cleaning robotic animals and odd Guildmen who run the trains. I want to ride in the elevator that chooses its own path through the building. I want a robot man to bake me cookies.<br /><br /><div class="p1" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">As with Blue Balliett's <i>Chasing Vermeer</i>, solving the puzzle along with the main characters is part of the fun of reading the book. I found myself going back through passages, looking closely at words and sentences to find the clues I missed the first time around. I also wanted to figure out the clues before Tess, Theo and Jaime did (though I was less than successful there). Middle grade readers will be no different. When they finish <i>T</i></span><i style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">he Shadow Cipher</i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">, they'll be clamoring for Book 2!</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b>About Laura Ruby:</b> </span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; text-align: right;">Laura Ruby is the author of books for adults, teens, and children, including </span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; text-align: right;">Bone Gap</i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; text-align: right;">, a National Book Award finalist and Michael L. Printz Award winner, among dozens of other accolades. Her other books include the Edgar-nominated mystery </span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; text-align: right;">Lily’s Ghosts</i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; text-align: right;">, the Book Sense Pick </span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; text-align: right;">Good Girls</i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; text-align: right;">, and the acclaimed novels </span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; text-align: right;">Play Me </i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; text-align: right;">and </span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; text-align: right;">Bad Apple</i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; text-align: right;">. She is on the faculty of Hamline University’s MFA in writing for children and young adults program and lives in the Chicago area. You can visit her online at </span><a href="http://www.lauraruby.com/" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: right;"><span class="s2"><b>www.lauraruby.com</b></span></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; text-align: right;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Want to win a signed copy of <i>York</i>? Enter the giveaway by filling out <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfsuec6J4_MLU1evinqJkMQFA6sTcfHLSOs6dcTdBSi2jPlWw/viewform?usp=sf_link" target="_blank">this Google form</a> (US only).</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Be sure to visit the other stops on the <i>York</i> blog tour to see what other readers had to say:</span></div>
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<span class="s1">May 1</span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://www.kirsticall.com/">Kirsti Call</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1">May 3</span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="https://thebookmonsters.com/">Book Monsters</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1">May 4</span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://nextbestbook.blogspot.com/">Next Best Book</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1">May 5</span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://charlotteslibrary.blogspot.com/">Charlotte's Library</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1">May 7</span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://mrsknottsbooknook.blogspot.com/">Mrs. Knott's Book Nook</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1">May 8</span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://walden-media.tumblr.com/">Walden Media Tumblr</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1">May 10</span></div>
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<span class="s2">The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia</span></div>
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<span class="s1">May 11</span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="https://novelnovice.com/">Novel Novice</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1">May 12</span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://melissaguerrette.blogspot.com/">Educate-Empower-Inspire-Teach</a></span></div>
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</style>Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-7078988562395546892017-04-28T00:00:00.000-05:002017-04-28T00:00:20.765-05:00Unidentified Suburban Object by Mike Jung<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Unidentified Suburban Object by Mike Jung</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(Scholastic, 2016)</span><br />
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<b>Summary from publisher:</b><br />
<i>The next person who compares Chloe Cho with famous violinist Abigail Yang is going to HEAR it. Chloe has just about had it with people not knowing the difference between someone who's Chinese, Japanese, or Korean. She's had it with people thinking that everything she does well -- getting good grades, winning first chair in the orchestra, et CETera -- is because she's ASIAN. </i><br />
<i>Of course, her own parents don't want to have anything to DO with their Korean background. Anytime Chloe asks them a question they change the subject. They seem perfectly happy to be the only Asian family in town. it's only when Chloe's with her best friend, Shelley, that she doesn't feel like a total alien.</i><br />
<i>Then a new teacher comes to town: Ms. Lee. She's Korean American, and for the first time Chloe has a person to talk to who seems to understand completely. For Ms. Lee's class, Chloe finally gets to explore her family history. But what she unearths is light-years away from what she expected.</i><br />
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This is another book I snagged from the We Need Diverse Books flyer from the Scholastic Reading Club. I had seen it on friends' Facebook and Twitter timelines, so I knew it was probably one I'd want to read. It was one of those books that once I started it, I read it almost completely straight through; I didn't want to put it down!<br />
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Jung does a great job of writing with humor. Even though Chloe is going through some tough things as she tries to figure out who she is and where she fits, there are moments of funny mixed in. In reality, that's how it is in life, too. Problems are often off-set with humor; it's what helps us get through hard times.<br />
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I also liked how Jung created his characters. Chloe is not a perfect character; she has plenty of flaws, ones that get exacerbated by news she learns from her parents. Her insecurity gets the better of her and almost causes some really huge problems. Ask any middle school teacher if this really happens, and they will answer with a resounding YES!<br />
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On the back cover of the paperback edition, it says "<i>Unidentified Suburban Object </i>is about finding out who you really are, knowing who your friends really are, and discovering what it is that makes us human." Right now, it feels like people are more divided than ever, and reading books like this can be an important reminder that human beings have far more in common than they do dividing them, and it is up to us to find that common ground.<br />
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Hand this one to readers who like quirky books about friendship and fitting in. They'll love it.Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-10148748509418726732017-04-26T00:00:00.000-05:002017-04-26T00:00:12.983-05:00Otherwise Known as Possum by Maria D. Laso<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Otherwise Known as Possum</i> by Maria D. Laso</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(Scholastic, 2017)</span><br />
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<b>Summary from publisher:</b><br />
<i>Possom Porter has had it with change. First they lost Mama, leaving a hole nothing can fill. And now Daddy's sending Possum to school for the first time. A real school, where you have to wear shoes. Where they don't let you bring your dog. and where some snooty teacher will try to erase all the useful things Mama taught Possum during their lessons at home. </i><br />
<i>So Possum comes up with a plan. If she can prove that she already knows everything worth knowing, Daddy will let her quit school and stay at home where she belongs.</i><br />
<i>But Possum doesn't shoot to the top of the class like she expected. even worse, the teacher seems to have her eye on a new suitor... Possum's daddy. With time running out, Possum must do something drastic to get away from school - and get Daddy out of the teacher's clutches - or risk losing everything that's keeping her heart glued together.</i><br />
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I'm not quite sure how I heard about this particular title, but I'm so glad I discovered it. It's a kind of quiet story, a book about a girl who lost her mother and new baby brother in childbirth and her struggle to make a new normal. Possum struggles with many of the things any eleven-year-old girl does: fitting in, making friends, school. But on top of that she's learning to live with grief - hers, yes, but also that of her father. Possum and her dad seem like they weren't super talkative and touchy-feely even before her mother's death, but this is compounded in their grief. Mr. Porter withdraws to his woodshop, and Possum spends a lot of time alone, wondering what's going to happen.<br />
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Because this story is set in a rural area in the Great Depression, Possum's life is very different from that of most kids today. She rarely wears shoes, the family has very little to eat, she walks at least a mile through the woods to get to school every day. Her main form of entertainment is shooting at things with her slingshot and reading. Over the course of the story, the reader learns just how important books are to her.<br />
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Hand this book to kids who enjoy realistic or historical fiction that focuses on the power of friendships and family. I think it would also make an enjoyable read aloud for fourth or fifth graders. There are several really funny moments as well as many touching ones. It would spark some great conversations about judging people on first impressions as well as figuring out what's important in life.<br />
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<br />Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-32527150671012377382017-04-24T00:00:00.000-05:002017-04-24T00:00:30.876-05:00It's Monday! Here's What I've Been Reading - April 27, 2017<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidkS2JSF_pGvXMVnbP4ENc4S_5e3TPn8VBP_jhD_EDDPtP93RDZxKLcfLbbypH6ipxhNN2OX2X296ePYQ0J_cw-pEPANoZqgKklnySB3d0sD210fZOdV9Ed1qYQNlXY4nj9xU3yd0_JDjp/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-08-04+at+Aug+4+%257C+10.09.56+PM.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidkS2JSF_pGvXMVnbP4ENc4S_5e3TPn8VBP_jhD_EDDPtP93RDZxKLcfLbbypH6ipxhNN2OX2X296ePYQ0J_cw-pEPANoZqgKklnySB3d0sD210fZOdV9Ed1qYQNlXY4nj9xU3yd0_JDjp/s200/Screen+Shot+2013-08-04+at+Aug+4+%257C+10.09.56+PM.png" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Happy Monday!<br /><br />It feels like spring is REALLY here in the Chicago area this week. Though it has been chilly, it's warm enough to start working in the garden and the bulbs and flowering trees are really popping. This has me thinking about how it's nearly May and my first year as a third grade teacher is almost over with. Can't say I'm really looking forward to the countdown to the last day of school.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Luckily, I still have six more weeks to share amazing books with my class! Here's what I read this week:<br /><ul>
<li><i>Casey at the Bat</i> illustrated by Christopher Bing (April 17, 2017) Beautifully illustrated version of this classic poem.</li>
<li><i>The Shy Creatures </i>by David Mack (April 18, 2017) Sweet picture book one of my students brought in for show & tell.</li>
<li><i>Otherwise Known as Possum</i> by Maria D. Laso (April 19, 2017) Sweet middle grade novel about love and loss.</li>
<li><i>Thunder Underground</i> by Jane Yolen (April 19, 2017) New poem picture book from Jane Yolen!</li>
<li><i>The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind</i> by William Kamkwamba (April 19, 2017) Picture book version of the popular biography</li>
<li><i>Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch</i> by Eileen Spinelli (April 20, 2017) Sweet picture book about opening oneself up to friendship</li>
<li><i>Happy Like Soccer</i> by Maribeth Boeltz (April 20, 2017) Thought provoking picture book about a girl who loves soccer</li>
<li><i>Coral Reefs</i> by Seymour Simon (April 20, 2017) Informational book with fabulous photography</li>
<li><i>The Case of the Stinky Stench</i> by Josh Funk (April 20, 2017) Fun followup to Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast</li>
<li><i>Unidentified Suburban Object</i> by Mike Jung (April 20, 2017) Surprising middle grade sci-fi. Fun read.</li>
<li><i>Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things</i> by Lenore Look (April 22, 2017) Early reader about a boy who's afraid of just about everything</li>
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My reading plan for this week is to finish <i>The Way Home Looks Now</i> by Wendy Wan-Long Shang and then reach into my giant stacks of to-be-read books. I have my daughter's band concert on Tuesday night and my other daughter's performance of her spring musical on Wednesday, so I don't know how much reading will happen. We'll see!</div>
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Hope you have a fabulous reading week!</div>
Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-78647809800663889602017-04-23T00:00:00.000-05:002017-04-23T09:52:02.948-05:00Amina's Voice by Hena Khan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Amina's Voice</i> by Hena Khan</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(Salaam Reads, 2017)</span><br />
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Summary from publisher:<br />
<i>Amina has never been comfortable in the spotlight. She is happy just hanging out with her best friend, Soojin. Except now that she's in middle school everything feels different. Soojin is suddenly hanging out with Emily, one of the "cool" girls in the class, and even talking about changing her name to something more "American." Does Amina need to start changing too? Or hiding who she is to fit in? While Amina grapples with these questions, her local mosque is vandalized, and she is devastated. In <b>Amina's Voice</b>, readers will witness the power of a young girl using her voice to bring people together.</i><br />
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<i>Amina's Voice</i> is one of those books that transports the reader completely into the world of the main characters. From the first page, I was engrossed in Amina's story, wanting to know more about what makes her tick. The book opens with one of Amina's friends trying to convince her to sign up for a solo in her school's choir concert. Amina, who loves to sing, does not let her voice shine where people other than her family can hear her. This novel is the story of Amina finding the courage to use her voice.<br />
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Khan is a skilled writer. She creates characters who are interesting and layered. Amina is not just a girl adjusting to the social vagaries of middle school. She is also a Pakistani-American, a Muslim girl in a country where Islam is often misunderstood and sometimes reviled. Khan shows the family's pride in its religion and culture but also the ways the perceptions of those both outside and inside the community affect the decisions Amina's parents make regarding Amina and her brother, especially when her more conservative uncle arrives from Pakistan to visit the family.<br />
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More than anything, though, <i>Amina's Voice</i> is a story of finding one's place - in the community, in school, and in a friendship. Amina's questions about her evolving friendship with Soojin, her best friend, are ones that just about any middle grade girl will relate to. Khan handles this conflict with sensitivity and honesty. I appreciated how this is not a cookie-cutter, perfect friendship. Like all relationships, it has bumps that Amina and Soojin need to figure out how to navigate. The problems and solutions felt real and respectful, and I appreciated how the girls changed and grew over the course of the book.<br />
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Hand this one to readers who enjoy realistic fiction. Buy several copies and make it a book club book. Share it as a read aloud with a whole class. And then talk about it. There's much worth talking about here.<br />
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<br />Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-77292252412973183762017-04-22T00:00:00.000-05:002017-04-22T13:31:14.143-05:00Blog Tour! Posted by John David Anderson<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0thfoBS9EbdEmz9qgJhbE-Q3GhtO8rMszRsznHNMb1_AQjX0yojxWrOKVUU7iX0fvJC8sf3jJ17BULc0dbBEt6OYnSKgoREhyLmWYKF9VNi19xDBTHbJDgUT51ttVSCR51Z6Li0Ph0wUw/s1600/170329-Posted-blog.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0thfoBS9EbdEmz9qgJhbE-Q3GhtO8rMszRsznHNMb1_AQjX0yojxWrOKVUU7iX0fvJC8sf3jJ17BULc0dbBEt6OYnSKgoREhyLmWYKF9VNi19xDBTHbJDgUT51ttVSCR51Z6Li0Ph0wUw/s640/170329-Posted-blog.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Posted</i> by John David Anderson<br />(Walden Pond Press, May 2017)</span><br />
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Summary from publisher:<br />
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<i>From John David Anderson, author of the acclaimed Ms. Bixby’s Last Day, comes a humorous, poignant, and original contemporary story about bullying, broken friendships, and the failures of communication between kids. In middle school, words aren’t just words. They can be weapons. They can be gifts. The right words can win you friends or make you enemies. They can come back to haunt you. Sometimes they can change things forever.<br /><br />When cell phones are banned at Branton Middle School, Frost and his friends Deedee, Wolf, and Bench come up with a new way to communicate: leaving sticky notes for each other all around the school. It catches on, and soon all the kids in school are leaving notes—though for every kind and friendly one, there is a cutting and cruel one as well.<br /><br />In the middle of this, a new girl named Rose arrives at school and sits at Frost’s lunch table. Rose is not like anyone else at Branton Middle School, and it’s clear that the close circle of friends Frost has made for himself won’t easily hold another. As the sticky-note war escalates, and the pressure to choose sides mounts, Frost soon realizes that after this year, nothing will ever be the same.</i><br />
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When I was offered the opportunity to read an advance copy of Posted, I jumped at the chance. Anderson writes in a way that adults and kids can really connect to, and I had a feeling he would tackle the topic of bullying with sensitivity and the honesty kids deserve.<br />
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I wasn't wrong. <br />
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As I read about Frost, Deedee, Wolf, Bench, and Rose, I was continually taken back to my own middle school days. Though we didn't have smartphones (or even Post-It notes) in 1982, the name-calling, shoving, and rumor spreading were certainly present. Navigating those waters can be tricky... alliances change, friendships grow-disolve-grow again. Which is exactly why books like <i>Posted</i> are so important. When kids read about the experiences of others, they get a mental rehearsal for how to react when they are in similar situations.<br />
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Just like in <i>Ms. Bixby</i>, Anderson creates characters that kids will want to know. He builds them over time... you don't get all of the information on the first page of the book. Anderson also doesn't talk down to his young readers. Though this book is about bullying and how it can take its toll on young people, it is not didactic or preachy. The situations feel real, as do the language and and actions of the characters.<br />
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Hand this book to readers who enjoy realistic fiction about friendships and fitting in. I think this would also make a great read-aloud for middle schoolers. It could lead to some great conversations.<br />
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Read it yourself. It will remind you of when you looked like this:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8E1DKE6yhE1iyBWhugL-tO6WnPS-VKPTyPlwyfX4bpe_SKcXgmppbcwXNa-FbEjGbAq7gkxB6SkjxbiAKZ12qPY7GMzryuVqqXVeCcEITXb-alS6bx869NYpZRKSJtlsg_jwy7AZaxHyU/s1600/PTDC0028.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8E1DKE6yhE1iyBWhugL-tO6WnPS-VKPTyPlwyfX4bpe_SKcXgmppbcwXNa-FbEjGbAq7gkxB6SkjxbiAKZ12qPY7GMzryuVqqXVeCcEITXb-alS6bx869NYpZRKSJtlsg_jwy7AZaxHyU/s200/PTDC0028.JPG" /></a><br />
Me - Sixth grade. Stylish with my Dorothy Hamill wedge and glasses.<br />
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Or this:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4oZuvQzKt3K14jJ1gtBw8Zga5CZlaiTQHpfLg4mgcqKsHNqoLUfS_8WQw1RI-czMMJLRu9h7b61PqYmh8VXZDFGdcIBOILcqQOhh4UXDqAo8iMXTqOhDYSdVBJlBDOEnTcOogpGJ-kHZc/s1600/1991+Dave.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4oZuvQzKt3K14jJ1gtBw8Zga5CZlaiTQHpfLg4mgcqKsHNqoLUfS_8WQw1RI-czMMJLRu9h7b61PqYmh8VXZDFGdcIBOILcqQOhh4UXDqAo8iMXTqOhDYSdVBJlBDOEnTcOogpGJ-kHZc/s1600/1991+Dave.JPG" /></a><br />
The author, shortly after surviving middle school.<br />
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Want to win your own copy of <i>Posted</i>, courtesy of Walden Pond Press? <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScBXiShJvYoR5Tu8R0qTzHmsxcO-DIZ_jkv_BceSPJzGA4VXg/viewform?usp=sf_link"><span id="goog_1288802762"></span>Click here<span id="goog_1288802763"></span></a>.<br />
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Be sure to visit the other stops on the Posted blog tour:<br />
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</style>Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-71137702974250629572017-04-19T00:00:00.000-05:002017-04-19T00:00:24.910-05:00The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYLmPWGjR3SKZYg8h5zR1JmqzkNw5lEw6LNvhyzLCO5dhX5t864Wi9VvUWwa66_Jc_5_ac7c_4Pjuk9m9wrybZ-iGVRPqMv2GMDFvrMsqT-k7wJdbd61SeDqq0GSko5x8Xp3QSgPVL18T/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-04-17+at+Apr+17+%257C+8.36.07+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYLmPWGjR3SKZYg8h5zR1JmqzkNw5lEw6LNvhyzLCO5dhX5t864Wi9VvUWwa66_Jc_5_ac7c_4Pjuk9m9wrybZ-iGVRPqMv2GMDFvrMsqT-k7wJdbd61SeDqq0GSko5x8Xp3QSgPVL18T/s200/Screen+Shot+2017-04-17+at+Apr+17+%257C+8.36.07+PM.png" width="125" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>The Year of the Dog</i> by Grace Lin</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(Scholastic, 2006)</span><br />
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Summary from publisher: <i>It's the Chinese Year of the Dog! When Pacy's mom tells her this is a good year for friends, family, and "finding herself," Pacy begins searching right away. As the year goes on, she struggles to find her talkt, deals with disappointment, makes a new best friend, and discovers just why the year of the dog is a lucky one for her after all. </i><br />
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As I've continued to build my classroom library this year, I have been very diligent to include books that reflect the diversity that exists in the world. One thing that's really helped me find high quality books to bring into my library is the Scholastic Reading Club We Need Diverse Books flyer. Not only did Scholastic include many titles that I had heard my bookish friends discussing, but they also are priced so that teachers can afford to buy many.<br />
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Grace Lin has been one of my go-to authors for a while. I loved <i>Where the Mountain Meets the Moon</i> and <i>When the Sea Turned to Silver.</i> When I saw that she had written a book that would be approachable for younger readers but still give them lots to think about, I knew I had to get it. I was not disappointed. <br />
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Lin's writing is engaging and conversational. I found myself easily slipping into the world of Pacy and Melody. Many of the situations Pacy finds herself in are common for most young girls: a first crush, disappointment at not winning a school prize, feeling on the outside of the in crowd. But Lin also helps the reader to get a feeling for what it must be like to be one of only two Chinese students in a school, to feel like no matter what you do you won't ever quite fit in, to not see yourself in the books in the library or in the characters of the school play. <br />
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I look forward to handing this book to some of my students when I take it in to school later in the week. I want to talk to them about how reading a book about a character whose heritage and background is different from theirs helps them to see the world differently. I want to see if they pick up on the same similarities and differences that I did.<br />
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Hand this book to any reader who enjoys realistic fiction that focuses on friendships and family. The well-developed characters and relatable plot will engage and entertain even reluctant readers.Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-39318955095223685782017-04-17T00:00:00.000-05:002017-04-17T00:00:04.825-05:00It's Monday! Here's What I've Been Reading - April 17<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Monday!<br />
This week was a definite picture book week, though I did manage to finish two middle grade novels. Saturday was amazing here in the Chicago area, so instead of huddling inside reading, my family and I made a trip to the Chicago Botanic Gardens to take in the spring blooms. Given that it was the first warm, sunny Saturday in what feels like months, we were not the only ones. LOTS of people out yesterday. Take a look and what I took in...<br />
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Here's what I read this week:<br />
<ul>
<li><i>Mirror, Mirror</i> by Marilyn Singer (April 11, 2017) Book of reverso poems my students LOVED!</li>
<li><i>Hi, Koo! </i>by Jon Muth (April 11, 2017) A story of the seasons told in haiku</li>
<li><i>Lexie the Word Wrangler</i> by Rebecca Van Slyke (April 11, 2017) Cute picture book about a word-wrangling cowgirl. Loved the word play in this one.</li>
<li><i>Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast</i> by Josh Funk (April 14, 2017) A race to get the last drop of maple syrup. Can't wait to share with my kids!</li>
<li><i>Echo, Echo</i> by Marilyn Singer (April 14, 2017) More reverso poems, this time about Greek myths.</li>
<li><i>Follow, Follow</i> by Marilyn Singer (April 14, 2017) More reverso poems about fairy tales</li>
<li><i>Not Quite Narwhal</i> by Jesse Sima (April 14, 2017) Super cute picture book about finding one's place.</li>
<li><i>Posted</i> by John David Anderson (April 14, 2017) Upcoming middle grade novel from one of my favorite authors about bullying and "finding your tribe."</li>
<li><i>The Year of the Dog</i> by Grace Lin (April 15, 2017) Touching middle-grade novel about growing up Chinese-American. Great addition to my classroom library.</li>
<li><i>Amina's Voice</i> by Hana Khan (April 16, 2017) Powerful middle-grade novel about a Pakistani-American girl and her family.</li>
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This week I will finish <i>Unidentified Suburban Object</i> by Mike Jung, and I'll continue to read my way through the bags full of books I've bought from the Scholastic Reading Club using my bonus points. I like to read most of them before I put them in my classroom library, not just so I can make sure they're appropriate for my third graders (I'm pretty good about picking good books), but so I can put them into the right hands at the right time.</div>
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Happy reading, everyone!</div>
Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-26068493337763637522017-04-10T00:00:00.000-05:002017-04-10T00:00:17.893-05:00It's Monday! Here's What I've Been Reading - April 9, 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Happy Monday! Going back to school this week put a serious dent in my reading time. I only managed to read a few picture books and several chapters of a novel I'm reading for review. Normally, I'm able to get at least a couple of hours of reading in on a weekend, but this one was jam-packed with fun things: my sister and her husband came for a visit, we went to see Hamilton on Saturday afternoon, we hung out and entertained each other on Saturday night, and then on Sunday afternoon we headed over to my in-laws' house to celebrate my husband's grandfather's 99th birthday. Whew! I got tired all over again just reading this list!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's what I read this week:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><ul style="color: #1d2129; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
<li>W<i>e’re All Wonders </i>by R. J. Palacio (April 3, 2017) The picture book companion to <i>Wonder</i>. A lovely book for younger readers.</li>
<li><i>Dogku</i> by Andrew Clements (April 3, 2017) A book of haiku about a dog who finds a new family.</li>
<li><i>The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors</i> by Drew Daywalt (April 5, 2017) HILARIOUS new book from the author of <i>The Day the Crayons Quit</i>.</li>
<li><i>Wet Cement: A Mix of Concrete Poems</i> by Raczka (April 7, 2017) Great book of poetry that demonstrates the power of concrete poetry.</li>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the coming week I hope to explore more poetry picture books and finish my ARC of <i>Posted</i> by John David Anderson.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">Happy reading!</span></span></div>
Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-64013813183628753192017-04-08T00:00:00.000-05:002017-04-08T00:00:16.084-05:00Mr. Pants!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Mr. Pants: It's Go Time!</i> words by Scott McCormick, pictures by R. H. Lazzell</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(Puffin, 2014)</span><br />
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<b>Summary from publisher:</b> <i>Meet Mr. Pants! It's the last day of summer, which means the last chance for fun, and Mr. Pants really, really wants to play laser tag. But his sisters have other plans. Can this clever cat survive boring errands and make it to laser tag before it's too late?</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Mr. Pants: Slacks, Camera, Action!</i> </span><span style="font-size: large;">words by Scott McCormick, pictures by R. H. Lazzell</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(Puffin, 2015)</span><br />
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<b>Summary from publisher:</b> <i>Mr. Pants, take two! Mr. Pants is determined to win the filmmaking contest (and big prize money!), and he only has a few hours to make his movie. But there are a few obstacles in his way: a stubborn sister, a boring tea party, and chores.</i><br />
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Several weeks ago, I attended a social evening for teachers sponsored by our local independent book store, The Book Bin. As I was browsing the children's section, one of my students (his family owns the store) suggested I buy these books for our classroom library. One thing my kids learned about me very quickly this year was that if they ask for particular books I will buy them - no questions asked! I did break that rule by asking the student why he thought I should buy these particular books. His answer: "They're really fun and funny!" I was sold.<br />
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And you know what? They are really fun and funny! Mr. Pants is just like many of the kids in my third grade classroom: impulsive, creative, impatient, passionate, and funny. In both of these books he learns a thing or two about waiting his turn and being considerate of others. I really appreciated the fact that these lessons are brought forth through humor rather than hitting kids over the head with them as if they are hammers.<br />
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The Mr. Pants graphic novels are great for newly independent readers because the text and pictures are easy to follow and approachable. I can't remember there being more than three panels per page, and even then they are arranged in an obvious sequence - perfect for kids who might be new to reading graphic novels on their own. Older readers will appreciate them as well thanks to the humor and fun characters. Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-65421066784811849612017-04-07T00:00:00.000-05:002017-04-07T00:00:35.193-05:00Appleblossom the Possom by Holly Goldberg Sloan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Appleblossom the Possom</i> by Holly Goldberg Sloan</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(Puffin, 2015)</span><br />
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<b>Summary from publisher:</b> <i>Possoms are the true performers of the animal kingdom, and all the world's a stage.</i><br />
<i>Young Appleblossom, the smallest one in her family, needs to find the role that she was born to play. When she accidentally falls down a chimney after a disagreement with her brothers, she discovers something remarkable: living inside are some of the monsters her mama has warned her about -- the ones called dogs and people!</i><br />
<i>The curious Appleblossom, her faithful possum brothers, and even the lonely girl in the people's house are all about to discover new, amazing things about life, love, and how to put on a good show.</i><br />
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I have to admit something first off... I generally do not like books with talking animals. There are a few exceptions, namely <i>Charlotte's Web</i>, but they are few and far between. <i>Appleblossom the Possom</i> is one of those exceptions. I picked this book up because my principal mentioned that our school's librarian had suggested it as a possibility for a One School/One Book program. Me being who I am, I immediately got a copy and read it over spring break.<br />
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What a lovely little book! Once I got past the idea that I was reading about opossums (I really get creeped out by opossums), I really enjoyed Appleblossom's story. It is at the same time a coming-of-age story - something that happens far more quickly for opossums than for people - and an adventure story. Over the course of her adventure, Appleblossom learns to have faith and confidence in herself while at the same time learning about the power of family. When she falls into the chimney and into the monsters' house, Appleblossom has to quickly think through what to do in order to avoid the dog and detection by the family. She has to continue to think and problem solve until she is rescued by her brothers, mother, and erstwhile father. <br />
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I think young readers would enjoy <i>Appleblossom the Possum</i> as a read-aloud. They will find her scrapes and adventures both thrilling and funny. Slightly older readers could certainly handle this one independently. While Appleblossom does get herself into some tight spots, nothing happens that is so scary that it would upset a kindergartener or first grader. Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-79568451214479014232017-04-05T00:00:00.000-05:002017-04-05T00:00:09.480-05:00Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Vardarajan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(Scholastic, 2016)</span><br />
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Summary from publisher:<br />
<i>Joe and Ravi might be from very different places, but they're both stuck in the same place: school. </i><br />
<i>Joe's lived in the same town all his live, and was doing just fine until his best friends moved away and left him on his own.</i><br />
<i>Ravi's family just moved to American from India, and he's finding it pretty hard to figure out where he fits in.</i><br />
<i>Joe and Ravi don't think they have anything in common - but soon enough they have a common enemy (the biggest bully in their class) and a common mission: to take control of their lives over the course of a single crazy week.</i><br />
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In <i>Save Me a Seat,</i> Weeks and Varadarajan tackle bullying and fitting in - two big topics that almost every kid deals with at school at some point. Told in two voices, it offers a peak into the lives of two fifth grade boys in the first week of school. Joe and Ravi are outsiders for very different reasons. Joe has an auditory processing disorder that makes it hard for him to function in the classroom at times. Ravi is a newcomer to America with parents and grandparents who push him to be the best at everything. <br />
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Weeks and Varadarajan did a great job of setting up the plot of this book so that it was believable and accessible to middle grade readers. As an adult, I get annoyed when books don't get school right. Sometimes the level of bullying is so extreme and the teachers' inattention to it so broad that the plot is too crazy to believe. Here, though, the bullying is subtle, just the way it often is in the classroom. The teacher, though well-meaning, does seem a bit clueless about the true nature of Dillon, the bully, but I'll give her a bit of a pass since the book takes place in the first week of school.<br />
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I liked how Joe and Ravi changed over the course of the book. They each realized important things about themselves and each other, and by the end of the book they are on their way to becoming friends. It's not a miraculous happens-in-a-minute turnaround; rather the boys begin to notice little things a bit at a time. In the end, it is Ravi who makes the biggest realization about himself and about Joe.<br />
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Hand this one to readers who enjoy realistic fiction stories about school and friendship. I think it would also make a good read aloud in a fourth or fifth grade classroom, leading to some interesting conversations about perception, friendship, and bullying.Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-70425287108321211182017-04-03T00:00:00.000-05:002017-04-03T00:00:13.043-05:00It's Monday! Here's What I'm Reading - April 3, 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's Monday, and for some reason I've felt compelled to begin writing on the book blog again. I read SO MANY great books over my spring break, and I just want to share them!<br />
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Here's what I read last week:<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><ul style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<li><i>The Girl Who Drank the Moon</i> by Kelly Barnhill (March 25, 2017) MG fantasy; Newbery winner. Gave this one five stars.</li>
<li><i>Appleblossom the Possum</i> by Holly Goldberg Sloan (March 27, 2017) Cute story about a family of possums.</li>
<li><i>A Rambler Steals Home</i> by Carter Higgins March 27, 2017) MG realistic fiction about finding home where your heart is.</li>
<li><i>Sticks & Stones (Upside Down Magic #2)</i> by Sarah Mlynowksi, Lauren Myracle, Emily Jenkins (March 28, 2017) Cute fantasy about finding your place.</li>
<li><i>Mr. Pants: It’s Go Time!</i> by Scott McCormick (March 28, 2017) GN for young readers about a cat named Mr. Pants. Recommended by a student.</li>
<li><i>Mr. Pants: Slacks, Camera, Action! </i>by Scott McCormick (March 28, 2017) Second in that GN series for young readers.</li>
<li><i>The story of Diva and Flea</i> by Mo Willems (March 28, 2017) Loved this Mo Willems story about a dog and a cat set in Paris.</li>
<li><i>Danny, Who Fell in a Hole</i> by Cary Fagan (March 28, 2017) Weird novel for younger readers about a boy who falls in a hole and befriends a talking mole.</li>
<li><i>Just My Luck</i> by Cammie McGovern (March 30, 2017) Thoughtful MG realistic fiction about a boy who is struggling with his guilt over an accident that changes his family's life.</li>
<li><i>Triangle</i> by Mac Barnett & Jon Klassen (March 30, 2017) The newest collaboration between Barnett & Klassen. Can't wait for the second!</li>
<li><i>Misty Copeland</i> by Lexi Ryals (March 30, 2017) Early reader biography.</li>
<li><i>Sonia Sotomayor</i> by AnnMarie Anderson (March 30, 2017) Early Reder biography.</li>
<li><i>The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet</i> (March 30, 2017) Wonderful picture book about the power of one in standing up to a bully.</li>
<li><i>Big Red Lollipop</i> by Rukhsana Khan (March 30, 2017) Picture book about fitting in and sibling relationships.</li>
<li><i>Marvelous Cornelius: Hurricane Katrina and the Spirit of New Orleans</i> by Phil Bildner (March 30, 2017) Excellent picture book about a man who made his mark. Great for inclusion in a unit on legends.</li>
<li><i>Full Cicada Moon</i> by Marilyn Hilton (March 30, 2017) Thought provoking novel in verse set in 1968.</li>
<li><i>Lucy & Andy Neanderthal </i>by Jeffrey Brown (March 30, 2017) Off-beat GN about a Neanderthal family. Includes factual information about the history of Neanderthals.</li>
<li><i>Happy Dreamer</i> by Peter H. Reynolds (March 31, 2017) The latest offering by Peter H. Reynolds will touch the hearts of readers of all ages. </li>
<li>O<i>ut of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets</i> (March 31, 2017) GORGEOUS picture book of poetry about poets.</li>
<li><i>Around America to Win the Vote</i> by Mara Rockliff (March 31, 2017) Picture book biography of two suffragettes who traveled around America to win votes for women.</li>
<li><i>Swimming With Sharks</i> by Heather Lang (March 31, 2017) Picture book biography about one of the first female shark scientists.</li>
<li><i>Henry & Leo </i>by Pamela Zagarenski (March 31, 2017) Beautifully illustrated picture book about a boy and his stuffed animal friend.</li>
<li><i>Save Me a Seat</i> by Sarah Weeks & Gita Varadarajan (April 1, 2017) Great MG realistic fiction written in two voices about fitting in and standing up to bullies.</li>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spring break is over, so there is no way I'll keep up this volume of reading. Who knows if I'll even keep up with blogging again! Much as I want to, it seems that life has a habit of getting in my way.</span></span></span></div>
Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-34875303036256378312017-04-02T14:09:00.000-05:002017-04-02T14:09:12.283-05:00Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Full Cicada Moon</i> by Marilyn Hilton</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(Scholastic, 2015)</span><br />
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Summary from publisher:<br />
<i>As the Apollo 11 mission prepares to go to the moon, Mimi Yoshiko Oliver gets ready to move to a new state. But in 1969, Vermont is mostly white, and for half-black, half-Japanese Mimi, her appearance is enough to make her feel alien. She struggles to fit in with her classmates, even as she defies stereotypes by entering science competitions and trying to take shop class instead of home-ec. And though teachers and neighbors balk at her "unconventional" family and her refusals to conform, Mimi's dreams of becoming an astronaut never fade -- no matter how many times she's told no.</i><br />
<i>Judged because of her skin color, and boxed in because of her gender, Mimi is determined to break the mold. This lyrical novel-in-verse follows her journey to fit into the world -- and to better it.</i><br />
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Somehow this book did not hit my radar when it was published in 2015. I first heard of it when I was perusing the We Need Diverse Books flyer from Scholastic Reading Club. I've been making a concerted effort to make sure my classroom library represents all different kinds of kids and stories, and this book sounded interesting. Truth be told, few third graders would find this book accessible, but it will have a place in my room for my more sophisticated readers.<br />
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The thing I most like about this book is the depth of characters Hilton presents in her spare verse. Mimi is complicated; she is pushing the boundaries of the community where she lives, not just because she is the daughter of an African American father and a Japanese mother, but also because she is a girl who is more interested in engineering and science than in the "good for girls" courses her school offers. Mimi's parents are supportive and give her room to be herself.<br />
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The community in which Mimi lives is slow to accept her and her parents, though many people, including the curmudgeonly neighbor, eventually come around. There is definitely a message of "don't judge a book by its cover" here, as both Mimi and her neighbors and classmates do a fair amount of judging on first impressions.<br />
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I'd recommend this book for readers in grades 4 and up, mostly due to the complexity of plot. There is nothing objectionable or inappropriate for younger readers. Hand this one to kids who enjoy novels in verse or historical fiction. There is a lot to think about here.Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-6477863928037674852017-03-31T09:41:00.000-05:002017-03-31T09:41:23.935-05:00The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(Algonquin Young Readers, 2016)</span><br />
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Summary from publisher:<br />
<i>Every year the people of the protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the forest, Xan, is kind. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Xan rescues the children and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey.</i><br />
<i>One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic. Xan decides she must raise this girl, whom she calls Luna, as her own. As Luna's thirteenth birthday approaches, her magic begins to emerge -- with dangerous consequences. Meanwhile, a young man from the Protectorate is determined to free his people by killing the witch. Deadly birds with uncertain intentions flock nearby. A volcano, quiet for centuries, rumbles just beneath the earth's surface. And the woman with the Tiger's heart is on the prowl....</i><br />
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This book has been on my radar for a while. The bookish people in my social networks began buzzing about this one as soon as advance reader copies made their way into the world. Then, after it won the Newbery Award, I knew I had to read it. I'm so glad I did.<br />
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The story of Luna, Xan, and the people of the Protectorate is a complex, layered one. I found myself slowing down, rereading, and really paying attention to small details as I moved through this book. The characters are well-developed and often not what they first seem. The characters are what made me love this book so much. I wanted to know what would happen to them - even the "bad guys".<br />
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The other thing I really appreciated about this book was its message about the importance of looking beneath the surface in order to learn a person's true character. Barnhill manages to convey this lesson without being didactic; kids who read this book will see that it is important to look at actions as well as words when determining a person's motivations in a way that is approachable and natural. This lesson is especially timely in a world where so many times all we see is the perfect life a person curates on their social media accounts. What is there on the surface is not always the truth.<br />
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Hand this book to readers who love fantasy as well as those who enjoy books about relationships and growing up. Due to the complexity of the plot and the characters, I would recommend this one to readers in grade 5 and up.Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-45307101337107625052016-07-26T01:00:00.000-05:002016-07-26T01:00:06.588-05:00A Week of Mondays by Jessica Brody<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>A Week of Mondays</i> by Jessica Brody</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(Farrar Straus Giroux, August 2016)</span><br />
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<b>Caution... some minor spoilers.</b><br />
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Summary from publisher:<br />
<i>Ellie is having a serious case of the Mondays.</i><br />
<i>She gets a ticket for running a red light, she manages to take the world's worse school picture, and bombs softball tryouts and her class election speech, and, to top it all off, Tristan, her gorgeous rocker boyfriend, suddenly dumps her. For no good reason! As far as Mondays go, it doesn't get much worse than this. But when Ellie wakes up the next morning to find she's reliving the same day all over again, she knows exactly what she has to do: stop her boyfriend from breaking up with her. yet no matter how many do-overs Ellie gets or how hard she tries to repair her relationship, Tristan always seems set on ending it. Will Ellie figure out how to fix this broken day? Or will she be stuck in this nightmare of a Monday forever?</i><br />
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I picked the advance copy of this up on a whim at NCTE. I'd read a couple of her other books over the years, and I've enjoyed them. In her latest, <i>A Week of Mondays</i>, Brody's main character Ellie gets the <i>Groundhog Day</i> treatment, waking up to the same Monday every day for a week, until she figures out how to change the one thing that will allow her life to move on. From the very beginning, I disliked Tristan, Ellie's boyfriend, and the way Ellie acts around him. Ellie completely changes who she is in order to keep Tristan's attention. I know why Brody did this... too many teenage girls change themselves in order to make other people happy. Slowly, Ellie begins to realize that perhaps Tristan is not the prize she thinks he is.<br />
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This is a thoroughly enjoyable story of a teenage romance. I liked that Ellie had to do the hard work herself, and though her best friend Owen plays a supporting role in helping Ellie figure out how to get her live back on track, he doesn't save Ellie from herself. She has to do that.<br />
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Hand A Week of Mondays to readers who enjoy realistic fiction and a little romance. It's a fun, lighthearted read.<br />
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<br />Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410930596161268051.post-90458370549027174672016-06-06T00:00:00.000-05:002016-06-06T00:00:20.521-05:00It's Monday! What Are You Reading? June 6, 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /><br />Happy Monday!<div>
This is our last week of school, and it isn't even a full week. The year is over with on Thursday, and I'm finding I'm having a harder time with the idea that I won't be returning to Northbrook Junior High in the fall than I thought I would. I'm not regretting my decision to return to the classroom, but I am sad about closing out this chapter of my life. But... I know I'm in for a grand adventure come August.</div>
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Here's what I read this week:<br /><ul>
<li><i>Hanging Mary</i> by Susan Higgenbotham (June 1, 2016) Adult historical fiction about the first woman hanged by the US government. Mary Surrat was found guilty of conspiring to assassinate Abraham Lincoln, and this telling of her story is absolutely fascinating. Highly recommended!</li>
<li><i>Lily & Dunkin</i> by Donna Gephart (June 4, 2016) YA book about friendship and the courage to be yourself.</li>
<li><i>Ideas Are All Around</i> by Philip C. Stead (June 4, 2016) Picture book I plan to use during the launch of my literacy studio.</li>
<li><i>My Teacher Is A Monster (No, I Am Not) </i>by Peter Brown (June 4, 2016) Picture book I'm considering using on the first day of school.</li>
<li>Duck & Goose by Tad Hills (June 4, 2016) Cute just-for-fun picture book</li>
<li><i>Ranger in Time: Rescue on the Oregon Trail</i> by Kate Messner (June 4, 2016) Historical fiction about a family on the Oregon Trail. Perfect for upper elementary readers.</li>
<li><i>Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle </i>by Betty MacDonald (June 4, 2016) Classic tale about a little old lady who cures kids of bad habits. I read this one with my daughter when she was in second/third grade. Considering it for a read aloud this coming year.</li>
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My plan for this week:</div>
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<li>Read. Not sure what, yet. But I will be reading!</li>
<li>Enjoy my first day of summer vacation on Friday.</li>
<li>Celebrate my younger child's 12th birthday.</li>
<li>Enjoy my daughters' dance recital on Sunday.</li>
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Have a great week, everyone. Don't forget to visit <a href="http://unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a> or <a href="http://teachmentortexts.com/">Teach Mentor Texts</a> and link up your reading list!</div>
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Happy reading!</div>
Mindi Renchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982872456947487411noreply@blogger.com1