12.29.2009

Whodunnit?

My days of winter break fill up with hours and hours of reading. It is glorious. It's even more glorious when the winter weather gets fierce, and everybody is forced to stay put and stay inside. Ah, what a splendid week!

The Likeness by Tana French was a book Santa stuck in my stocking. It is a sequel of sorts to a book I read last year, so it was intriguing to see what the characters had been up to since I last "saw" them. While it's not a book most kids would enjoy, I really do recommend it (and it's predecessor In the Woods) to grown-ups who enjoy good mysteries.

Knowing how much a good mystery can grab readers and engage them for a wild and thrilling ride, I decided to collect a list of books for teens who like mysteries. It's not exclusive, so let me know if you have others to add.

Here are a few that I found...hope you enjoy! Keep reading, everyone!

First, my favorite new mystery for young adults

Blundell, Judy. What I Saw and How I Lied. 2009.


In 1947, with her jovial stepfather Joe back from the war and family life returning to normal, teenage Evie, smitten by the handsome young ex-GI who seems to have a secret hold on Joe, finds herself caught in a complicated web of lies whose devastating outcome change her life and that of her family forever.


Hiaasen, Carl. Scat. 2009.
Nick and his friend Marta decide to investigate when a mysterious fire starts near a Florida wildlife preserve and an unpopular teacher goes missing.

Grisham, John. The Client. 1993.
Eleven-year-old Mark Sway accidentally witnesses a murder and becomes the target of relentless prosecutors and the mob, and the only person who can save him is Reggie Love, an attorney barely out of law school.


Duncan, Lois. I Know What You Did Last Summer. 1973.


Four teenagers, trying to conceal their responsibility for a hit-and-run accident, are pursued by a mystery figure seeking revenge.




Plum-Ucci, Carol. The Body of Christopher Creed. 2000.


Did he run, was he kidnapped, or was he murdered?



Myers, Walter Dean. Monster. 1999.
Sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon is on trial for murder. As the circumstances unfold, readers get a chance to think carefully about the crime and decide his innocence or guilt.




Konigsburg, E.L. Silent to the Bone. 2000.


Is the British nanny lying when she accuses 13-year-old Bramwell of injuring his baby step-sister? His best friend thinks so, but Bramwell isn't talking. He's gone mute.






12.22.2009

From NPR

While I haven't read any of these books, I know lots of smart teens.

Click here to see a trio of books recommended by various contributors to NPR. Three books for smart teens. I love it. Let me know if you check any of them out!


Keep reading!
-stenson

12.11.2009

Sleepers.






These books are ones you might have missed. Luckily, we've got America's librarian, Nancy Pearl to point them out. Each of these titles are on my FBL ("Future Book List" for anyone not in my 7th grader Reading class).

Can't wait to peek inside each of these books. Here's the NPR article that gives a little sneak peek into each title. Thanks to NPR for the photos.

When Nancy Pearl says, "read this book", I run to the library to check it out. Hope you do too. And when you do, tell me about it.

Enjoy!
Keep reading-
stenson

More books to make you think.

The latest books from our gifted and talented specialist, Mrs. Donaldson.

These books aren't hard to read, though some of them might be tougher than others. These books will get you think about BIG themes and BIG ideas in life. There's more than just good stories and good characters in these books. We are talking life lessons, people. Life lessons. Keep reading! Enjoy!


12.01.2009

Amazon.

John Green told me (well, I guess it's more accurate to say he mentioned it in a blog) that big online book sellers like Borders.com, Barnes and Noble online, and Amazon sell an outrageously large number of books. Like $1.75 billion of books a year. This number is still about half of the business Game Stop does. Sigh...

Anyway, if you are selling that many books, you must be selling good books.
If you click here, you'll see the top sellers for young adults in 2009.

Pick one up, or a few, read them and let me know if you understand why they sold so many books.

Keep reading, everyone!
-stenson

11.19.2009

Good books to make you think, feel, grow, smile.

Special thanks to Mrs. Donaldson for recommending these great titles. These books are great ones to read with an adult, friend, sibling, or teacher because they make you think about life and it's unpredictable ways and the universal themes we all face.



The book talk video will introduce each of them, but here's a quick list:


Beastly by Alex Flinn
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Epic by Conor Kostick
Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick
Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks

Enjoy, everyone. And Keep Reading!
-stenson

11.05.2009

Three Super Sports Stories.

Even though the Yankees won the World Series (again!), I still believe in the magic of sports. If you are an athlete or sports fan, you've probably witnessed magical moments in sports firsthand.

If you aren't, doesn't matter, you will still enjoy reading about the kids whose lives are affected by playing sports, winning and losing, and being on a team.

Just remember, sports books aren't just for athletes. Not anymore than the Twilight series is just for vampires or science fiction is just for insane robots. I promise you'll "score" with one of these (oops...bad joke!)

Keep reading everyone!
-stenson

10.29.2009

Skeleton Key, The Graveyard Book, and Other Super but Scary Stories

Disclaimer: Your teacher HATES being scared. I don't like horror movies. I don't like ghost stories. For the most part I hate everything spooky, scary, and terrorizing.

HOWEVER, there are a few scary stories I've read because they were just too good to put down.

Here's a vlog highlighting my two very favorites.



But there are a few honorable mention books too:

The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci
Full Tilt by Neil Schusterman
The Cirque du Freak series by Darren Shan
Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer


Happy Halloween, everyone. Happy Reading too.
-stenson

10.18.2009

BFF.

Books about friendship have a special place in my heart. When I grew up, I loved realistic tales of boys and girls and the people they considered friends.

So recently, when I finished a book for grown-ups about friends, I decided to put a list together of books for teenagers about friends and friendship. Because like the old John Lennon song goes, don't we all just "get by with a little help" from our friends?


Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts: A very unlucky 17 year-old finds herself seven months pregnant, abandoned by her boyfriend, and stranded in Oklahoma. Her luck changes when people with hearts full of kindness and compassion of the small Oklahoma town take her in.



Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares: "A pair of jeans purchased at a thrift store is the unlikely bond that keeps four best friends emotionally connected during the first summer that they spend physically apart." -Publisher's Weekly


Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary Schmidt: A new kid in town--with a strict minister for a father-- befriends a former slave-girl to help him make sense of and enjoy his new town and new life. This coming-of-age story has a lot of lessons to teach about tolerance, acceptance, friendship, and love.



Godless by Pete Hautmann: Jason's story begins like this: "Getting punched hard in the face is a singular experience. I highly recommend it to anyone who is a little too cocky, obnoxious, or insensitive. I also recommend it to people who think they're smart enough to avoid getting punched in the face by the likes of Henry Stagg." The book is a interesting tale about Jason's journey to find some answers about life, friendship and family, and religion.

Make Lemonade by Virginia Euwer Wolff: Told in poems, this is a brilliant story of a young girl trying to save money for college by babysitting. But her babysitting job ends up being more than just a way to make money, it becomes the start of a beautiful friendship between the babysitter and the mother of the baby-a 17 year-old single mother trying to find her own way.

Here's to friendship. Old and new. Hope you enjoy the books. Let me know if you do!
Keep Reading,
-stenson

10.09.2009

Mr. Walter Dean Myers

If there was a king of Young Adult Literature, Mr. Walter Dean Myers might be it.

He writes authentically and powerfully about the lives of teenagers. His characters struggle with real-life problems, they make honest mistakes and make bad choices, but ultimately, they all fight for hope and justice.

The list of books he has written is lo-oo-oo-oong. Here are just a few of my favorites. And, of course, there is a vlog about a few must-reads he has written. Check the class iPods for that.

Bad Boy: A Memoir
Fallen Angels
Hoops
Monster
Scorpions
Shooter
Sunrise over Fallujah



For more information, visit his website.

or check out this interview with the author, Walter Dean Myers.

10.04.2009

Life As We Knew It by Susan Pfeffer

Miranda is excited at first because everyone is buzzing about the asteroid. What will happen? Will it look like fireworks? The whole neighborhood is out on the streets waiting for the asteroid to hit the moon. And when it does, look out. It's not a terrible sight, but it's clear right away that it's not a good thing either.

So begins the story of a normal 16 year old girl slow journey into an apocalyptic world. The coasts are flooded with tsunamis, volcanoes around the world start erupting, and the climate begins to change for the worse. Schools start to close, gas is rationed, and food is being stockpiled. While they don't have guarantees they are going to make it, Miranda and her family fight to survive. Readers have to keep reading to find out if this family is going to make it.
picture from amazon.com

What I like most about the book is Miranda. Even though her circumstances get worse and worse and worse, she handles them like a champ. Taking each day as it comes, dealing with the challenges presented, and still living a life like every other teenager. Will she get to keep skating? Will she ever go to the prom? Why did her dad chose his new wife over their family? Will her mom always be annoying, nosy, and bossy?

This is my second time reading this book. I knew the book was essentially about hope, but I couldn't remember exactly how it ended. It didn't disappoint the second time. I loved it. Hope you do too!

By the way, I have this book on the iPods if anyone is interested.

Keep reading, everyone.
-stenson

10.02.2009

Loving Libraries.

Here's to you, Ms. Noreen, Ms. Thurk, and Ms. Lang, the three talented women who make it happen at the OGM Media Center.

Your media center is filled with so many good books organized in a way in which we can find for what we are looking (unless a pesky middle-school student of staff has screwed it all up!). There are 45 computers that you let us jump on and off; not to mention the comfortable chairs for us to use while we do our scholarly work. Your hard work in the media center makes our reading lives richer and more satisfying. Thanks for putting up with us, keep the media center a sacred place in our school, for nurturing the readers in all of us.

I thought of you three when I read this story. Hope you all enjoy!


picture from StoryCorps and NPR.org

Keep reading everyone. Visit a library today!
-Stenson

p.s. Don't get ideas about stealing books, kids. There is nothing wrong with reading- be proud of the books you read. Everyone's doing it. The 7th graders this year have already read close to 1,000 books. Way to go, Huskies!

9.25.2009

Fun*Easy*Fun*Easy*Fun*Easy*Fun*Easy*Fun*Easy

Another vlog. With more bells and whistles this time, but more importantly, even more GOOD BOOKS you can count on.



Keep reading,
Stenson

9.24.2009

Jordan Sonnenblick's Notes from a Midnight Driver


Many good lines in this book. Many good laughs. Many meaningful lessons to be learned.

Overall, I think most kids will like Alex. The 16 year-old kid whose parents are getting a divorce, he's got a secret crush on his best friend Laurie, and he's facing the repercussions of a very serious mistake he made. It's for boys and girls, and it's easy to read even though it's a powerful book. In fact, there is a good balance of everything you need in a book. Enjoy!


Keep reading!
-Stenson

p.s. This is my 4th book of the year. 1/10th of the way to my goal!

9.20.2009

Oops, I did it again.

The response was mixed, but most everyone tuned in to the first vlog. While many rolled their eyes or turned me off, others sauntered to the bookshelves to find one of the three books. It got me thinking...this could be a weekly thing.

The second vlog introduces readers to:

-The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie
-Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
-Life As We Knew It by Susan Pfeffer


If you can take it, try Vlog 2.


Keep Reading!
-stenson

9.11.2009

Vlog alert!

Are video blogs called vlogs? I seem to remember that's what they are called.

I'm not shamed to admit it...I've created a vlog. Anything to get my kids paying attention. This short little vlog is a video of me talking about three books I think you might like. Yea!

Watch and listen. Grab the book if you are so inclined. Or just watch and be amused. Yes, your teacher is a book-nerd. There are worse things you could call me. Just don't snicker too loud. We must be quiet in the Media center...shhhhhh!




p.s. I just finished I.Q, Book One: Independence Hall. My second book is complete. Onto #3. The road to 40 continues to be a fun ride!

Keep reading!
-stenson

9.07.2009

1 down, 39 to go.





40. Forty. Cuarenta. 4-0. The number of books my 7th graders and I are going to try to read this year. It's about 1 a week (though I told one family it there were more than 40 weeks in the school year...oops!). It's a goal that is worth shooting for. A goal that depends entirely on effort, good choices, and good books.

Since I'm going to reach for the goal of 40 books this year too, I made sure I had a good book for this three-day weekend. I know it may be a little of a head start, but I'm counting the book I finished this weekend.

It's not a book I'd necessarily recommend to my students, but since it's the first book of the year for me, it's worth mentioning. Stalking Susan by Julie Kramer. Easy-cheesy crime novel. Kinda spooky though so I only read it when my husband was around and in the daytime hours. I've recently rediscovered mysteries, so I loved this holiday book (holiday book=easy read). I really liked that the setting (where it takes place) is in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.

Anyway, 1 down 39 to go. Here's to a really fun challenge and sharing it with my students!

My inspiration for this goal comes from Donalynn Miller and her extraordinary book The Book Whisperer; this is a book every teacher, parent, educator should read.

9.04.2009

The Reading Workshop Classroom



photo by Herb Swanson of the NY Times


I've always admired the work of Nancie Atwell, a visionary reading teacher and specialist. Recently, a colleague sent me an article about her classroom and how it is inspiring a new generation of reading teachers and reading classrooms. It's really a powerful movement.

Getting caught up in the rush and chaos of the start of a new year is easy to do. Even so, I always aspire to have a classroom where students of all reading levels are comfortable with who they are as independent readers, where students are choosing their own books and enjoying their time reading them, where all of come together as a community of readers. It is in Nancie's ideals where my work is grounded. Kids, parents, all readers, take a peek at the article and at the slide show accompanying it to see just what we are shooting for in Room 103. Here's to reading. Here's to kids. Here's to the start of another great year!

Keep reading!
-stenson

8.06.2009

Be smart. Act intelligent. Know things.




“It takes an adult to make a child hate knowing things" -M.T. Anderson

Books make people smarter in all sorts of important ways. I like comparing getting the right book into the right student's hands to watering my garden. A slew of young adult authors are making a point to talk to kids about the importance of being a critical thinker and an aware, engaging citizen. I support them. I'll do my best to get kids reading books they enjoy and are willing to discuss and dissect. That's what good books do. They getting us thinking, talking, and growing.

Here are a few titles of books I've read or read about recently. They are certainly ones that will get readers thinking...and hopefully talking.

High Wind in Jamaica by Richard Hughes

Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland by Sally M. Walker

WinterGirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

The Disreputable Life of Frankie Landau-Banks by e. lockhart

The Pigman by Paul Zindel

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Read on!
-stenson

8.01.2009

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins


Want action and suspense? Check.
Want gore and guts? Check.
Want likeable characters? Check.
Want a few who make you laugh? Check.
A few to fall in love? Maybe.

With elements of science-fiction and reality television, with futuristic and realistic elements , Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games grabs the readers from the first page and grips them with such suspense few are likely to successfully put it down until the end.

The book beings on the day of the Reaping, where each District of the post-apocalyptic North American country of Panem must send two youth to the 74th Annual Hunger Games. The government exerts total control over its people, and the Games are just one of its cruel ploys to remind the people their lives are only as good or as bad as the government decides they will be.

The book is a lot like The Lottery (a classic short story by Shirley Jackson) meets Survivor (the popular reality-television series) meets Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare tragedy about two star-crossed lovers). The main characters--Katniss and Peeta--are chosen from a lottery, forced to leave their families, and go to the Capitol where they will be contestants in a grisly Gladiator game.

It must be said that Katniss, who is the Girl on Fire, is a terrific heroine. Two thumbs up for a girl with the wits, strength, and kindness to be a true competitor, a protective big sister, an effective hunter, the pride of her District, and the love-interest of at least a couple of boys. She is a girl who could teach us all many lessons. Speaking of lessons, the book has several to tell....about violence in our culture, about the increasingly desensitizing nature of reality television, about the harm of a government not of the people, and about empathy.

It took me a long to pick up the book but minutes to fall in love with it. I urge all ages to read this book. Knowing two more in the series follow, I predict, as did awesome author John Green) the trilogy will be received with Twilight-esque mania. Join in on the fun. Get your hands on a copy today!

For more information like videos, message boards, and online games, check out this site.

Keep reading!
-stenson

7.30.2009

Boyfriends.


Hmpfh. I get it. Boyfriends are a big deal when you are 14, 15, and so on. It's troublesome ground. Some girls, many girls actually, find comfort, friendship, and loyalty in their boyfriends. The relationships of their adolescents play an important role in teaching them how to navigate dating and relationships as they grow up. However, other girls only find more reasons to grow more self-doubting and dependent. Like I said, shaky ground. So, this topic- boyfriends- is a topic that usually generates too much adolescent angst and drama when I bring it up with my students. However, I know the topic is a big, big part of being a teenage girl. That's why I read E. Lockhart's book The Boyfriend List.

While it's no Disreputable History , it is an interesting book that portrays a realistic peek into the psyche of teenage girls and their struggles with friends, boys, and boyfriends. I love a series. I like the lessons the Ruby (our protagonist) learns.

Just make sure you read Disreputable History too.

Keep reading.
-stenson

p.s. The picture above is from e. lockhart's website.

Free Photos


Copyright rules and formatting trouble always leave me wondering how to add images to my blog and podcasts. I never have the right answers for my students when they add images to their work. However, this Technology Kit 2.0 promises to deliver us from our troubles. Among other tools, there is a list of sites where one can find free photo. Most helpful, don't you think?

Check it out!

Thanks to the National Council of Teachers of English (more evidence that English teachers save the world in too many ways to count)!

-Stenson

7.21.2009

Farewell, Teacher Man.


-photo from trashotron.com

I would have loved to have a teacher like Frank McCourt. I had good teachers, but this guy told a story like Picasso painted. He was one of the best. Plus, I fondly remember lying next to the proud-to-be Tall Guy while he giggled as he read the last of the three auto-biographies Teacher Man. I hope we left this world smiling; Mr. McCourt died on Sunday, July 20 at the young age of 78. He will be missed.

Read on.
-Stenson

7.10.2009

Reminds me of Hemmingway


I just finished this book called The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin. I'd recommend it for 8th grade and up- it was even hard for me to read through some of the stuff. That happens when you love a character, and our main character, Matt, is easy to love. Vulnerable, tough, smart, kind, caring, and courageous. His family is in crisis thanks to his unstable, abusive and violent mother. Matt makes some tough choices to protect his younger sisters, choices that no teenager should have to make. The story is suspenseful, tender, and, in the end, hopeful.

I liked the significance of two guys, well, they are really gentlemen, in the story. Two men join together with the children's aunt to try to save the kids. These guys are gentleman who are strong and brave, yet unafraid to admit when they are wrong.

When I book the book down (I read it before going to bed one night, put it down to get some sleep, but had finished it by 9:30 a.m. the next morning), I was reminded of one of my favorite Hemingway quotes.

“The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong in the broken places."

Ernest Hemingway


Keep reading,
-stenson

7.01.2009

Who is Puckett?


She is one of my best friends; she's my old lady black dog. I love her like I love breathing.

Here's a picture of Pucky just hanging around. She's a constant presence, keeping the whole family company. But apparently, while Pucky is lounging around enjoying city life with her family, there are some amazing dogs working hard.

Take these Dogs on Deployment for example. Dogs are defending peace and justice in Afghanistan. My heart goes out to the soldiers who work with the dogs, and the all the military men and women who are safer because of the work of these dogs.

Click here to listen or to read about these dogs are their masters.

Here's to Lode and Leddy. May they return home safely and quickly with their soldiers by their sides.

Keep reading (online newspapers count!)
-Stenson

6.30.2009

Smart. Girls. Can. Save. Our. World.


I loved this piece I heard on NPR a few weeks ago. A readaholic and writer (pictured above thanks to npr.org) shares the titles and gives previews of three books she recommends. Her topic: young female heroines. Read on!


-Stenson

6.23.2009

Libba Bray

Hello. Just another reminder about all of the great authors out there. One of my favorites is Libba Bray. She's given us the Great and Terrible Beauty series (a story about a strong and courageous young woman, Gemma, in a marvelous, mysterious and somewhat misunderstood land, India).

Anyway, I found a post on her blog from May 2009 particularly interesting. With full disclosure, it is about same-sex marriage. If this topic fires you up, proceed with caution. I include it in my blog not to be political or decisive, but because I've had the pleasure of teaching kids who live a GLBT world, and I want them to know, I will not stay silent either.

Submitted with kindness,
stenson (aka abs kujawski)

6.22.2009

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. By e. lokhart


Frankie Landeau-Banks, narrator and hero of the award-winning “The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks” by E. Lockhart, is the literary friend for whom my middle school girls have been looking.

Our heroine pointedly asks the handsome, popular, rich guy: “Why is it psychotic if I did it, and brilliant if Alpha did it?” Calling to task the double-standard girls and women face frequently, widely, all too often. That's not the only aspect of gender stereotypes and roles Frankie calls into question. You've got to read this book to find out more.

She is equal parts insecurity and confidence, creativity and conformity. That's why she is great...because she's a lot like many of the young girls I teach, a complicated mess of strengths and weaknesses. Her sophomore year is an unforgettable one. She wins the heart of the most popular senior boy on campus, she fights hard successfully to become more than just the "bunny-rabbit" nickname her family has given her, and she makes a mark at her prestigious prep school by taking on a long-standing, all-male, secret society, and she does so with with flair and imagination.

The book is entertaining, witty, clever, and smart. It's a fun read, and a satisfying one. The lessons of the book are tough to articulate, but even me--a happily married, pretty boring and ordinary 34 year old woman--learned about the tricky relationship between men and women.

Secretly (or not so secretly now), I also loved the peek into the rich, boarding school life of Frankie and her classmates. Good grab a copy and read it.

BUT! I also recommend the audio version. Ms. Sirois (the narrator), Ms. Lockhart, and Ms. Landeau-Banks create a captivating, memorable story. Read it this summer. If you can't trust me, trust the NY Times.

Keep reading-
Stenson (a.k.a. abs kujawski)

6.19.2009

Wintergirls


For every young woman out there who has battled with body-image or weight issues-
For every adult and child who has loved someone who has had these battles-

there's little I can say to show you I understand or know what it's like, but there is a book you all must read. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. As one reviewer wrote, it's hard to read, but harder to put down. You've got to give Lia (and all the young girls like her) the gift of reading her story and sharing it with others.

For a list of reviews or other information about the book or the author, go to www.writerlady.com.

You. Must. Read. Wintergirls.
-abs(tenson) kujawski

6.01.2009

"I want to be thoroughly used up when I die."


My DA kids are reading the book Three Cups of Tea. The geography and the people, the story and the spirit of this book are each extraordinary.

The man behind this true story, Greg Mortenson, is a true American hero who school by school is promoting peace and justice in an impoverished land; but he is not alone. Jahan, the first young girl from her village to be educated, has just as much courage as Greg. Haji Ali, a village leader, holds himself with wisdom and patience unfamiliar to the Western world. Jean Hornei and his wife Jennifer Bergman give so generously, it's not surprising that the title of this post comes from Jennifer's necklace inscription.

There are several versions of this book. Anyone up for a challenge should try the original, but there are a few other versions depending on who is reading the book. For more information, please go to this website.

I urge you to read this book. It will reach right through you and grab you by the spine. In my experience, that's always been a sign of a good book.

Peace,
-Stenson

5.21.2009

Highlights of an Independent Reading Project!




Many, many, many 7th graders are upset with me. I've made them pick a topic (they had a choice of four: war, real teens, sports, or strong young women), and they had to read about this topic for SIX WEEKS (that's a long time for 13 year olds).

Anyway, some good has come out of it. Here a few of the good books we stumbled on:

Emako Blue by Brenda Woods. A realistic look in the lives of young black women growing up in today's world.

Stolen Voices by various kids. A informative, personal look into the lives of kids living amidst war.

Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. An exciting book about a young black man who is surprised and changed by the Vietnam War.

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher. A book different from others told from the interesting perspective of a girl who committed suicide by recorded her story in audio tapes first.

The Child Called It Series. Three books about the survival of a child abuse victim. It's a true story, so it's really sad how badly he was abused, yet it makes you want to read on!

The Girl with the Baby by Sylvia Olsen. This book follows a girl who is forced to raise the baby alone. Readers learn about the consequences of having a baby at such a young age.

5.18.2009

It's been too long!

The last time I blogged it was FEBRUARY!
Now I'm blogging about summer reading.
Something went wrong! So sorry, your readers.

Here's the deal. Summer is a great time to get caught up on all of the books you are excited to read. Here's a new list from Amazon.com. Now, I know it's amazon, and that means they are just trying to make money, but you can always look for these titles at the library.

Check it out
and get reading!

Keep reading,
-stenson

2.18.2009

Book talks, Talking about books, books and talking and books and talking.

See:


It's time for Booktalks! All year, 7th graders have worked hard on their independent reading. What have they been reading? We'll soon find out. For a few samples, check out the 7READ podcast. You recognize the booktalks because the titles are in all caps (as shown above).

So the ones currently on the website are samples from last year. Soon, this year's booktalks will be up and running. Take a listen. You might want to check out a few!

Keep Reading!
-Stenson

2.10.2009

We Are the Ship



I love baseball. I love good writing. I love this book. Have you heard about it? It's popping up everywhere--most recently at the Young Adult Book Awards where it was honored and celebrated.

This is what Phil Taylor of Sports Illustrated said about the book:

The artist finds beauty even where there seems to be none, and in that way Kadir Nelson and the men of the Negro leagues are soul mates. Negro leagues baseball (1920-47) was an exquisite flower grown from poisonous soil -- the ugly racial attitudes of 20th-century America -- and nurtured by men who refused to allow the ignorance that barred them from the major leagues to extinguish their passion for the game. Nelson, some 60 years later, saw the dignity in that passion and has honored it with a book of oil paintings, We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball, depicting Negro leagues stars and game scenes, some of which grace these pages.


So it's a Young Adult book, but it's written like a children's book because of the intense illustrations. You'll pour over the pictures and the voice of the characters. Amazing book. Enjoy.

-Stenson

2.06.2009

Our DA Challenge

Booktalks! Podcasts! New Genres! It's madness!!!!

So, the DA readers are embarking on a new challenge this week. They are writing booktalks that will eventually be a part of the DA Booktalk Podcast.

Once the booktalks are recorded, we are going to find the perfect audiences. Other middle schools, other classes, other kids, public libraries, anyone interested. We'll us our marketing skills to get the word out there.

The kids were urged to try new genres. Here's just a preview of the books that the DA kids read:

Shape Shifters by Bruce Colville
Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
Next by Michael Crichton
The Book Thief by Marcus Zuzack
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Persopolis: The Complete Story by Marjane Satrapi
R is for Rocket by Ray Bradbury

Have you read any of these? Will you subscribe to our booktalk podcast? Hope to hear from you, and you can count on hearing from us!

Keep Reading!
-Stenson and the DA 7th graders

1.12.2009

My Fave Author


Laurie Halse Anderson did it again. Her book Chains grabs you and pulls you along on a serious, heart-gripping ride.

If you like history, you'll especially love it.

The main character is fiesty, smart, and ready to be free (she is a slave). Her heart is strong and big. A role model for us all.



Read it now. Here are a few other links to see what others are saying about it.

The author's website (there's even a "playlist" on this website!)

Reading Rants Blog

Fantastic Fiction

Mitalia Perkins