Another fun summer book by Janet Evanovich. Some people (Mom) think the series has stagnated a little, but it's always fun to read the outrageous adventures of Stephanie Plum. Thanks, Lindsey! (Daddy says thanks, too...he's already read it as well!)
I'd write more, but Mom hasn't read it yet and she'd be mad to read about the funny stuff. Suffice it to say that I enjoyed it immensely.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Birthday book and the dangers of bookstores.
My wonderful friend Lindsey brought me Janet Evanovich's Fearless Fourteen! I'm so excited! Since I finished Alas, Babylon this morning, I was worried that I might not have anything to read in the mountains or that I would just have to scrounge something from the shelves here. I can't wait to sink my teeth into this latest summer treat.
Lindsey and Matt and I went to Barnes & Noble today. It's always dangerous. :) I promised not to buy any more books until after my birthday, but I can still look! I added six titles to my list just by browsing, and then when I started looking them up when I got home, I added several more upcoming Star Wars novels to my Amazon.com list because they look interesting. I am especially interested in the one about the Millennium Falcon. Yay!
Lindsey and Matt and I went to Barnes & Noble today. It's always dangerous. :) I promised not to buy any more books until after my birthday, but I can still look! I added six titles to my list just by browsing, and then when I started looking them up when I got home, I added several more upcoming Star Wars novels to my Amazon.com list because they look interesting. I am especially interested in the one about the Millennium Falcon. Yay!
Book and writing groups?
I told a friend of my impending move to Greensboro yesterday, and his immediate response was "We have to form a writing group!" It is true that I am writing a story, and it is true that I need someone to motivate me and to help me occasionally, so that is probably a good thing. It is also quite terrifying. It took a great deal of courage for me to send my story to my mom (who sort of thinks most things I do are great, like any good mom) and to show it to my husband. Showing it to anyone else, even a childhood friend and fellow writer, is going to be so scary! One upside is that we write in a similar genre, if not a similar style.
The same friend also wants to start a book group. He said I should hurry up and catch up to him in the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan so that we can read that together. I'm only on the first book, The Eye of the World. He's on book 4, The Shadow Rising, so I have some catching up to do before that will work.
The same friend also wants to start a book group. He said I should hurry up and catch up to him in the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan so that we can read that together. I'm only on the first book, The Eye of the World. He's on book 4, The Shadow Rising, so I have some catching up to do before that will work.
25 - Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
Insomnia has led me to devour another book in the wee hours of the morning. I finished Alas, Babylon at 3:00 AM this morning. It was excellent. As I have said before, I am mesmerized by stories of the end of the world. I love to see how people react to whatever cataclysm has brought their lives to a screeching halt.
In Alas, Babylon, the general idea (this book is a product of the Cold War) is that "the enemy" (unknown even to the most savvy Americans in the book) has unleashed a nuclear holocaust on every major city in the Western world. Using what the author Entire sections of the United States are rendered barren and uninhabitable for the next 5,000 years. The rest of the country and much of the world is thrust back into the Neolithic lifestyle: hunting with spears and knives, cooking meat over open fires, and foraging for vegetables as best they can. In a tiny corner of Florida, one man has some warning (his military brother's suspicions) and is able to prepare a bit. He quickly becomes the de facto leader of a new little society of survivors. As they struggle to meet their basic needs, they rebuild a new and infinitely more satisfying, if more dangerous, life for themselves.
Without giving anything away, I think the ending of the book was excellent. I believe that the decision each person made is exactly appropriate to his or her character, right down to the reasons given. It's very interesting.
In Alas, Babylon, the general idea (this book is a product of the Cold War) is that "the enemy" (unknown even to the most savvy Americans in the book) has unleashed a nuclear holocaust on every major city in the Western world. Using what the author Entire sections of the United States are rendered barren and uninhabitable for the next 5,000 years. The rest of the country and much of the world is thrust back into the Neolithic lifestyle: hunting with spears and knives, cooking meat over open fires, and foraging for vegetables as best they can. In a tiny corner of Florida, one man has some warning (his military brother's suspicions) and is able to prepare a bit. He quickly becomes the de facto leader of a new little society of survivors. As they struggle to meet their basic needs, they rebuild a new and infinitely more satisfying, if more dangerous, life for themselves.
Without giving anything away, I think the ending of the book was excellent. I believe that the decision each person made is exactly appropriate to his or her character, right down to the reasons given. It's very interesting.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Currently reading, GAMES, lesson plans, good news!
I'm reading Alas, Babylon and it's AMAZING! I started yesterday and I'm well past 100 pages...about halfway through the book already. It's so good. I like how cinematic it is. I think it would make a great movie and it could probably be adapted into a pretty good stage play (at least so far). I am thoroughly enjoying it.
I'm also reading The Freedom Writers Diary still. It's very good, but a little slow going for me. I understand and appreciate the need to respect the privacy of the writers, but I wish they had been identified with pseudonyms or something. I'm not trying to connect to characters from the movie, but I think it would follow better if I knew, for example, that Diaries 13 and 34 were written by the same person. I'm having a bit of a hard time following it and staying engaged. But I'm getting through it bit by bit.
I picked up a copy of GAMES magazine today. I LOVE this little puzzle and game magazine. I remember Daddy getting it when I was little and solving all the hard puzzles in just a few days. I don't know if this is a romanticized version of what really happened or not, but this has always been my favorite magazine. I have had a subscription to it before, but I don't currently because it's kind of expensive. I wanted the new one to take to the mountains this weekend as a diversion. Yay!
The previous post on Incantation by Alice Hoffman (which I'm taking to Greensboro for Mom to try) developed into the beginnings of a unit plan. It's something I'd like to try with an afterschool group, I think. Maybe I can volunteer with ACES if I teach at a middle school next year and go once a week to work with a group of girls and hammer out this idea of mine.
Finally, good news from the teaching portion of my life! My husband accepted a job in Greensboro! We are moving back! I am so excited. Greenville has been good to us, but I'm ready to go back closer to family and friends. Durham was the other option and it would've been good too, but I can't express how happy the idea of living in Greensboro makes me. We are going to live in the house where I grew up for awhile, which is another plus. I started making some phone calls today and the people I talked to were enthusiastic and supportive. I don't think finding a job will be the desperate struggle is has been the past two years. Which, for that matter, it wouldn't have been here either because I already had to turn down one job opportunity here after I found out for sure we were moving. Hooray! :)
I'm also reading The Freedom Writers Diary still. It's very good, but a little slow going for me. I understand and appreciate the need to respect the privacy of the writers, but I wish they had been identified with pseudonyms or something. I'm not trying to connect to characters from the movie, but I think it would follow better if I knew, for example, that Diaries 13 and 34 were written by the same person. I'm having a bit of a hard time following it and staying engaged. But I'm getting through it bit by bit.
I picked up a copy of GAMES magazine today. I LOVE this little puzzle and game magazine. I remember Daddy getting it when I was little and solving all the hard puzzles in just a few days. I don't know if this is a romanticized version of what really happened or not, but this has always been my favorite magazine. I have had a subscription to it before, but I don't currently because it's kind of expensive. I wanted the new one to take to the mountains this weekend as a diversion. Yay!
The previous post on Incantation by Alice Hoffman (which I'm taking to Greensboro for Mom to try) developed into the beginnings of a unit plan. It's something I'd like to try with an afterschool group, I think. Maybe I can volunteer with ACES if I teach at a middle school next year and go once a week to work with a group of girls and hammer out this idea of mine.
Finally, good news from the teaching portion of my life! My husband accepted a job in Greensboro! We are moving back! I am so excited. Greenville has been good to us, but I'm ready to go back closer to family and friends. Durham was the other option and it would've been good too, but I can't express how happy the idea of living in Greensboro makes me. We are going to live in the house where I grew up for awhile, which is another plus. I started making some phone calls today and the people I talked to were enthusiastic and supportive. I don't think finding a job will be the desperate struggle is has been the past two years. Which, for that matter, it wouldn't have been here either because I already had to turn down one job opportunity here after I found out for sure we were moving. Hooray! :)
Sunday, June 22, 2008
24 - Incantation by Alice Hoffman
I really enjoyed this book! It tells the story of a young girl who lives in Spain in 1500. Her family converted to Christianity to escape the widespread persecution of the Jews in Europe at the time, but the Spanish Inquisition found them out. Her family was destroyed. She even watched her mother and brother burn at the stake. In the process of all of this agony, she discovered many truths about herself.
I think this book would fit well with some of the other YA books I've read recently. I would love to teach a Language Arts/Social Studies class to gifted middle school students using these books. Incantation would be a great illustration of religious persecution or discrimination. It even touches on the events in a way that isn't really taught in middle or high school (think Lies My Teacher Told Me).
Other books I would include in this unit:
Kira-Kira, Cynthia Kadohata
This book tells the story of a young Japanese American girl whose family lives in the Mississippi Valley and struggle to surivive.
The Not-So-Star-Spangled Life of Sunita Sen, Mitali Perkins
In this story, Sunita Sen's normal American life is disrupted when her grandparents come to visit from India for a whole year. She is forced to decide who exactly she wants to be.
Esperanza Rising, Pam Muñoz Ryan
Esperanza is the daughter of a well-to-do Mexican farmer and she is treated like a princess. When a tragedy forces her family to emigrate to California, she has to work for the first time in her life. She is also forced to face many people who don't like or trust her simply because she is from Mexico.
We Beat the Street, Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, Rameck Hunt, and Sharon Draper
This is the true story of three young men who grew up on the streets of New Jersey, faced drugs, gang violence, and many other setbacks, but went on to graduate from medical and dental school and work as doctors and a dentist in the very neighborhood where they grew up.
This unit would be a great after school study for a group of girls...since most of the books are about girls who struggle with identity and discrimination or adversity.
I think this book would fit well with some of the other YA books I've read recently. I would love to teach a Language Arts/Social Studies class to gifted middle school students using these books. Incantation would be a great illustration of religious persecution or discrimination. It even touches on the events in a way that isn't really taught in middle or high school (think Lies My Teacher Told Me).
Other books I would include in this unit:
Kira-Kira, Cynthia Kadohata
This book tells the story of a young Japanese American girl whose family lives in the Mississippi Valley and struggle to surivive.
The Not-So-Star-Spangled Life of Sunita Sen, Mitali Perkins
In this story, Sunita Sen's normal American life is disrupted when her grandparents come to visit from India for a whole year. She is forced to decide who exactly she wants to be.
Esperanza Rising, Pam Muñoz Ryan
Esperanza is the daughter of a well-to-do Mexican farmer and she is treated like a princess. When a tragedy forces her family to emigrate to California, she has to work for the first time in her life. She is also forced to face many people who don't like or trust her simply because she is from Mexico.
We Beat the Street, Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, Rameck Hunt, and Sharon Draper
This is the true story of three young men who grew up on the streets of New Jersey, faced drugs, gang violence, and many other setbacks, but went on to graduate from medical and dental school and work as doctors and a dentist in the very neighborhood where they grew up.
This unit would be a great after school study for a group of girls...since most of the books are about girls who struggle with identity and discrimination or adversity.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
New Buttons
On the right side of the blog, I've added four new buttons. Three are links to Amazon.com wish lists I set up. These are books I want to read or own very much! I collect Newbery and Caldecott award books, starting way back in 1922 (Newbery) and 1938 (Caldecott). I have the first 1-2 of each, and lots of more recent onces scattered around, but I'm always into expanding my collection.
I also added a link to a very cool website called FreeRice. The idea is that you play a little vocabulary game and for each word you correctly match to its proper definition, the FreeRice website donates 20 grains of rice to people in need around the world. Check out the FAQ to see who gets the rice and who donates. Also, look at the list of countries that have made a commitment to donate money to end world hunger. It's a little sad to see so many "humanitarian", "developed" countries at the bottom of the list.
I also added a link to a very cool website called FreeRice. The idea is that you play a little vocabulary game and for each word you correctly match to its proper definition, the FreeRice website donates 20 grains of rice to people in need around the world. Check out the FAQ to see who gets the rice and who donates. Also, look at the list of countries that have made a commitment to donate money to end world hunger. It's a little sad to see so many "humanitarian", "developed" countries at the bottom of the list.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
23 - Invincible, Troy Denning
Another fun Star Wars book. I won't have to stop reading yet, because Luke, Han, and Leia all survived. I can't wait to see what comes next, because although all the major conflicts in the Legacy were finally resolved, we didn't get to see much of the effects...how are Han, Leia, and Jaina going to cope with all that has happened? Where is Zekk? What will happen with Jaina and Jag now? I have lots of questions and I'm already looking forward to the next installments, although I haven't heard anything about them.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
22 - Gossamer, Lois Lowry
This was a sweet little story about the power of dreams. I liked the little boy, although he was a bit transparent to my jaded self. When he was making cruel, angry, or outrageous comments, I could clearly connect them to his abuse, fear, or insecurity. But beyond that, I have no complaints. Of course, Lois Lowry is incomparable, really.
Scholastic Reading Report
Scholastic 2008 Kids and Family Reading Report
This is a link to Scholastic's survey results on reading opinions and habits among young people. Here's a sample: 2 out of 3 children surveyed believed that within the next 10 years, most books which are read for fun will be read digitally – either on a computer or on another kind of electronic device. That is a scary, sad thought. Children should know the joy of a new book with fresh, crisp pages. They should be familiar with the smell of a book and the way the spine of a well-loved book is bent and broken at the good parts.
This is a link to Scholastic's survey results on reading opinions and habits among young people. Here's a sample: 2 out of 3 children surveyed believed that within the next 10 years, most books which are read for fun will be read digitally – either on a computer or on another kind of electronic device. That is a scary, sad thought. Children should know the joy of a new book with fresh, crisp pages. They should be familiar with the smell of a book and the way the spine of a well-loved book is bent and broken at the good parts.
21 - Uglies, Scott Westerfeld
This is a very cool book. It reminded me a bit of The Giver by Lois Lowry. What a scary world it would be if we all looked the same and thought the same starting at age 16. The idea that biology chooses what is "beautiful" is intriguing, but honestly, after all the years of human existence, don't you think people would have naturally selected only the beautiful? I mean, surely ugly people couldn't reproduce if we naturally selected only the prettiest people. A flaw in the arguments of the powers that be in the book. :)
I am excited to read the other three books in this series, but I promised my husband I wouldn't buy any more books before my birthday (June 30), and probably I won't really buy much until we move at the end of July. So...it may be awhile, but I will get to them.
I am excited to read the other three books in this series, but I promised my husband I wouldn't buy any more books before my birthday (June 30), and probably I won't really buy much until we move at the end of July. So...it may be awhile, but I will get to them.
Monday, June 9, 2008
20 - The Sea of Monsters, Rick Riordan
This was a really fun book! I think it's very cool how Riordan combines Greek mythology with modern stuff, such as the Bermuda Triangle! It's so creative. I liked seeing Percy develop throughout this book and I really enjoyed his newfound powers. They are very appropriate for a son of the Sea God. I also really liked the ending. It did not occur to me that the Golden Fleece might truly heal the Thalia's pine tree, even beyond purging the poison. I just wish Annabeth and Chiron were happier about it, even though I understand why they are scared. I wonder what will happen to Percy and Annabeth's friendship now?
Sunday, June 8, 2008
A recommendation
Mom recommended a book to me today. I think I will check it out because I love apocalyptic stories. The end of the world haunts my dreams and fascinates me. It's called Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven. It's about what happens to civilization as we know it when a giant comet collides with Earth. I'm very interested in locating and reading it.
I bought new books!
Because I was an awesome stage manager for Overtones, I received a $25 gift card for Barnes and Noble from the amazing cast and crew. :) I went to spend it tonight, which is always fun, even though I didn't need more books.
I bought three books.
Uglies, Scott Westerfeld - I don't know too much about this series, but one of my friends at work was reading it and it looks very interesting. We shall see, and maybe I will discover a new series to read.
Gossamer, Lois Lowry - This is another book from the author of The Giver, which I missed out on reading in middle school but discovered in college. I can't wait to read it.
Freedom Writers Diary, The Freedom Writers with Erin Gruwell - I LOVE this movie. :) I am really excited about the book. I think I might want to do something like this in an advanced middle school language arts classroom or if I ever taught high school.
I am going to show a little self-discipline and finish the other books I have started before I move on to these new ones. I can't wait!
I bought three books.
Uglies, Scott Westerfeld - I don't know too much about this series, but one of my friends at work was reading it and it looks very interesting. We shall see, and maybe I will discover a new series to read.
Gossamer, Lois Lowry - This is another book from the author of The Giver, which I missed out on reading in middle school but discovered in college. I can't wait to read it.
Freedom Writers Diary, The Freedom Writers with Erin Gruwell - I LOVE this movie. :) I am really excited about the book. I think I might want to do something like this in an advanced middle school language arts classroom or if I ever taught high school.
I am going to show a little self-discipline and finish the other books I have started before I move on to these new ones. I can't wait!
Friday, June 6, 2008
Coming Soon!
August 2, 2008 Breaking Dawn, Stephenie Meyer
September 20, 2008 Brisingr, Christopher Paolini
October 7, 2008 Inkdeath, Cornelia Funke
December 12, 2008 Twilight (the movie!)
Also, in 2009 they are supposed to be releasing Inkheart the movie! :)
September 20, 2008 Brisingr, Christopher Paolini
October 7, 2008 Inkdeath, Cornelia Funke
December 12, 2008 Twilight (the movie!)
Also, in 2009 they are supposed to be releasing Inkheart the movie! :)
Now reading...
Invincible, Troy Denning - A very exciting Legacy of the Force novel! I bought it in hardback because I couldn't wait. :)
Gregor de las tierras altas, Suzanne Collinns - Since I'm reading this in Spanish, it's taking forever. I really like it, though...it's a good little story. I'm glad it has a sequel. :)
The Sea of Monsters, Rick Riordan - Percy Jackson starts his second summer as an acknowledged son of the gods by getting in even more trouble than usual. I especially like how the Mist confuses him, even though he is a demigod, just because he's not paying attention.
Needless to say, all reading is slow due to the end of the school year, the job searching, and the remnants of Overtones. However, everything I am reading is really good! I think I ended up reading three books because I have been so busy that my books are all over the place and I just grab a new one when I need it instead of looking for the one I am reading at the time. It's ok, though...I like reading more than one book at a time.
I think I need to try and finish one of the books in English so I can concentrate better. Maybe that should be my goal for this weekend. :)
Gregor de las tierras altas, Suzanne Collinns - Since I'm reading this in Spanish, it's taking forever. I really like it, though...it's a good little story. I'm glad it has a sequel. :)
The Sea of Monsters, Rick Riordan - Percy Jackson starts his second summer as an acknowledged son of the gods by getting in even more trouble than usual. I especially like how the Mist confuses him, even though he is a demigod, just because he's not paying attention.
Needless to say, all reading is slow due to the end of the school year, the job searching, and the remnants of Overtones. However, everything I am reading is really good! I think I ended up reading three books because I have been so busy that my books are all over the place and I just grab a new one when I need it instead of looking for the one I am reading at the time. It's ok, though...I like reading more than one book at a time.
I think I need to try and finish one of the books in English so I can concentrate better. Maybe that should be my goal for this weekend. :)
Monday, June 2, 2008
18 & 19, New Moon and Eclipse, Stephenie Meyer
I don't even know how to describe these wonderful books! I read all three of them in 4 days while teaching 8th grade and stage managing a play in the evenings. They are amazing!
Bella's struggles are so compelling and Stephenie Meyer writes her passion so well! There's a song on the radio right now that I think fits beautifully with Bella's life. (Like Stephenie Meyer, I quite enjoy creating playlists for characters and stories!)
It's Flyleaf's All Around Me and its chorus goes like this:
I'm alive, I'm alive
I can feel you
All around me
Circling the air I'm breathing
Holding on to what I'm feeling
Savoring this heart that's healing
It reminds me both of how Bella feels with Jacob and how she feels in Italy, too. I don't want to say too much more because it would give away important stuff.
Bella's struggles are so compelling and Stephenie Meyer writes her passion so well! There's a song on the radio right now that I think fits beautifully with Bella's life. (Like Stephenie Meyer, I quite enjoy creating playlists for characters and stories!)
It's Flyleaf's All Around Me and its chorus goes like this:
I'm alive, I'm alive
I can feel you
All around me
Circling the air I'm breathing
Holding on to what I'm feeling
Savoring this heart that's healing
It reminds me both of how Bella feels with Jacob and how she feels in Italy, too. I don't want to say too much more because it would give away important stuff.
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