Month: February 2014

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 2/3

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? –From Picture Books to YA is a weekly meme started by Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee at Unleashing Readers. This is a chance for bloggers to recap their week of reading and share their plans for the next reading adventures they will take. Visit the host blogs for a list of great blogs participating in this meme and a whole bunch of titles to add to your to-read lists.

I have been in a weird funk lately, which actually usually means more reading.  This week was another weird week with two cold days off on Monday and Tuesday.  Then, when we got back to school, my students were just off this week.  Our January was really weird with basically all 3-day weeks because of the weather and planned days off.  My 8th graders are starting with their version of Senioritis and it is going to take some extra magic to get things energized again at school.  I hope the read-aloud of The Maze Runner will infuse some energy into my reading time at least.

Books I Finished This Week:

I basically devoured Everybody Sees the Ants on one of my days off.  I loved the character and the way the themes of family and war both came out in this touching story.  Lucky is such a realistic teenage character.  The way he deals with the bullying he is experiencing is very true to the way a lot of teenagers deal.  I liked the way all of the secondary characters were also very real and the quirky ways they dealt with the world really helped Lucky.  I highly recommend this book to 8th grade and up.  
The League of Extraordinary Gentleman was a movie that I really enjoyed.  When my husband started to get interested in comic books, I was interested in reading this comic book. We bought this compilation a few years ago, but I had not picked it up to read it yet.  I am glad I read it.  It was an entertaining read and a good way to spend part of my extra time off.  
On Monday, immediately after the ALA Youth Media Awards, I went to my digital library to look for some of the books I had not yet read.  The Year Of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes was just such a book.  I really enjoyed reading this one and can see how it will appeal to younger students.  It was a sweet story.  
While I was on the digital library site, I couldn’t help but notice that this book was available.  I have really enjoyed all the books in the trilogy and this was a really nice ending for Elisa.  I highly recommend this trilogy to fans of the Graceling books and any other fantasy fans.  There is just enough intrigue, adventure, and romance in the book to please many different audiences.  

Books I am Currently Reading:

I am listening to The Bone Season.  So far, this is a fascinating fantasy book. I am enjoying hearing about this world.  I am also reading Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver.  She is one of my favorite authors and I am enjoying slowly absorbing this new story about a farmers wife and the butterflies that have chosen to live in the trees near her farm.  I started reading The Notorious Benedict Arnold and I am enjoying Steve Sheinkin’s great writing.

What’s Next?

I went a little nuts on the digital library site as well as on Netgalley.  Now, I have too many new books on my Kindle to read.  I will most likely try to read Maggot Moon and Crown of Midnight this week before the loans expire.  Then, if I have time for other reading, I will go to my real books on the shelf for a couple titles.  I will be interested in starting the Patrick Ness titles I just bought as well.  The Crane Wife and More Than This both seem like amazing books.  
What are you reading?  Any suggestions for me?  I would love to hear from you in the comments!  Have a great reading week!

Celebrate 2/1

Discover. Play. Build.

                                               


This is a fabulous idea from Ruth Ayres in which we write about something to celebrate each Saturday. I am looking forward to participating in this link up each week and hearing about the awesome things happening in everyone’s classrooms and lives.

#1 Zumba 

The secretary at our school is also a Zumba instructor.  She has set up a time on Thursdays to do a free Zumba class for us.  This week was the first week I was able to get there.  I had such a great workout and I can’t wait until next Thursday!

#2 Eating well  

I have been meaning to get better with my eating habits for a long time.  This week, I got the groceries for it and spent time cooking some healthy meals.  It was nice to have the food this week so that I would not end up going out to dinner for a fast meal.

#3 Two more Cold Days.

Monday and Tuesday were two more bitterly cold days in Wisconsin.  Our schools were closed and I was able to get some things done at home and have some extra reading time.

#4 Patrick Ness   

If you ever have a chance to go see this fabulous author, you should go.  He spoke so eloquently about the ideas that he has and the passion behind his stories.  He prepared a script for an audience member to do a mock interview.  It was hilarious.  It was a small gathering at the bookstore and I loved the casual atmosphere and the witty things Mr. Ness had to say.  I absolutely devoured the Chaos Walking trilogy a couple years ago and A Monster Calls is brilliant as well.  I am excited to read More Than This and The Crane Wife, both of which I purchased this week and got signed.

#5 Good Books 

I have SOOO many great books to look forward to lately.  I may have gone a little overboard on the digital library site this week…but there are some awesome books out there!

#6 Awards

Watching the Youth Media Awards on Monday morning and adding some titles to the TBR as well as celebrating some titles was really fun.  I was so excited for Amy Timberlake and excited to share with my students that One Came Home is a Newbery Honor book.  The first school author visit I set up for my school was Ms. Timberlake last spring.  I love that my students have personalized, signed copies of this book.

What do you have to celebrate this week?  I would love to hear from you in the comments!