Fool for Books giveaway hop: Elephant Run by Roland Smith

For my portion of this blog hop, I am giving away a copy of:

Elephant Run by Roland Smith
Published: September 25, 2007
Publisher: Scholastic
Format: Paperback
Pages: 324
Genre: Historical Fiction
Audience: Middle Grade

Goodreads Summary:
In 1941, bombs drop from the night skies of London, demolishing the apartment Nick Freestone lives in with his mother. Deciding the situation in England is too unstable, Nick's mother sends him to live with his father in Burma, hoping he will be safer living on the family's teak plantation.

But as soon as Nick arrives, trouble erupts in this remote Burmese elephant village. Japanese soldiers invade, and Nick's father is taken prisoner. Nick is stranded on the plantation, forced to work as a servant to the new rulers. As life in the village grows more dangerous for Nick and his young friend, Mya, they plan their daring escape. Setting off on elephant back, they will risk their lives to save Nick's father and Mya's brother from a Japanese POW camp.

In this thrilling journey through the jungles of Burma, Roland Smith explores the far-reaching effects of World War II, while introducing readers to the fascinating world of wild timber elephants and their mahouts.

Terms and conditions:
Must be 13 or older to enter and have a U.S. mailing address
One winner will be selected
Use the Rafflecopter widget to enter

It's Monday! What are you reading? 3-31-14

Originally hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, Jen over at Teach Mentor Texts along with Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers also host a kidlit version of It's Monday! What are You Reading?

I had a really productive reading week last week.

First, I want to share a post I wrote yesterday where I re-examine my feelings about a picture book I ashamedly admit thought was "too political" back when I first read it in 2009. I re-read it yesterday and was completely embarrassed by my reaction the first time I read it.

Growth and change as seen through the lens of a picture book


Anyway, now that I've put that embarrassment behind me, here are some other picture books I read and enjoyed (or was perplexed by) last week:

A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip and Erin Stead
This book was also a re-read thanks to a bookstore event last week with both Philip and Erin. I liked it even better the second time around.

How Little Lori Visited Times Square by Amos Vogel, illustrated by Maurice Sendak
What a strange little picture book. It was published the same year as Where the Wild Things Are and despite the popularity of that book, this one illustrated by Sendak never really caught on. It's a shame though because it is a quirky little picture book that has a lot of fun hidden text in the illustrations that adds to the humor. I found out about this book from attending the Philip and Erin Stead event mentioned above. At this event, rather than reading from their own books, they talked about their favorite odd and obscure picture books. This is the first one they talked about in that presentation and as a result, I had to buy it because I fell in love with its strangeness.

 
When the Wolves Returned: Restoring Nature's Balance in Yellowstone by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent and Dan Hartman
A true cautionary tale about what happens when humans mess with the ecosystem.


Laika: Astronaut Dog by Owen Davey
It takes a whole heck of a lot for me to give a book one star on Goodreads, but this one reserves that honor. It completely trivializes history and does children zero favors by changing Laika's fateful end, presumably to protect children from the reality of death. Steer clear of sharing this one with children. Read it for yourselves, however, to see just how ridiculous it is. 


Finished reading with my ears:

Boston Jane by Jennifer L. Holm 
Jenni Holm has an amazing ability to write a story that you initially think you're not going to like (as Ruta Sepetys says -- historical fiction is often treated like the ugly girl at the dance: nobody wants to touch it) and then BAM! There it is. You suddenly have fallen in love with it and with the main character. I was initially dubious of Jane's motivations to up and move to the Pacific Northwest frontier for the sake of marrying a man she barely knew, but she quietly and unexpectedly grows on you throughout the course of the narrative. I look forward to reading book 2. 


I also finished reading:
 
Thrive: 5 Ways to (Re)Invigorate Your Teaching by Meenoo Rami 
This short book packs a punch for new teachers and veterans looking for inspiration. A great title to give to a new college grad ready to begin their first teaching job. I'll be writing a longer review of this one on my teaching blog.


Currently reading:

The Awakening by Kate Chopin
For an early American lit class that I'm currently taking


Currently (still) reading with my ears:

Panic by Lauren Oliver  


 Current giveaway:

Moon at Nine by Deborah Ellis 

Growth and change as seen through the lens of a picture book

It's amazing what a few years and some experience can do to change your mind and heart about something. Back when I first read the book And Tango Makes Three (a book that often shows up on the frequently challenged list) in 2009, I was still shaking off some of my very conservative Catholic upbringing. I wasn't offended by a book about two male penguins raising a baby penguin, I was just leery that it was too political to subject children to in the disguise of a children's book.

Because my beliefs have progressed over the years, I read this story today with a much different perspective. What I once thought was too political for a children's book now seems like just a regular story about how families come in all shapes, sizes, and kinds.

I do feel the need to apologize for even thinking that And Tango Makes Three had a political agenda. It's only political because we are still fighting for certain families to be accepted as "normal" and to be allowed the same rights as families with a mom and a dad. I hope that one day we can all read a book like this and just think to ourselves, "Oh, what a sweet family." I cringe to think that only a few years ago I didn't feel that way but am glad I have since seen the light.

Giveaway: Moon at Nine by Deborah Ellis

My current giveaway is for a finished copy of the following book:

Moon at Nine by Deborah Ellis
Publication date: April 1, 2014
Publisher: Pajama Press
Pages: 224
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audience: Young Adult
Disclosure: Finished copy provided by the publisher

Goodreads summary:
Fifteen-year-old Farrin has many secrets. Although she goes to a school for gifted girls in Tehran, as the daughter of an aristocratic mother and wealthy father, Farrin must keep a low profile. It is 1988; ever since the Shah was overthrown, the deeply conservative and religious government controls every facet of life in Iran. If the Revolutionary Guard finds out about her mother’s Bring Back the Shah activities, her family could be thrown in jail, or worse.

The day she meets Sadira, Farrin’s life changes forever. Sadira is funny, wise, and outgoing; the two girls become inseparable. But as their friendship deepens into romance, the relationship takes a dangerous turn. It is against the law to be gay in Iran; the punishment is death. Despite their efforts to keep their love secret, the girls are discovered and arrested. Separated from Sadira, Farrin can only pray as she awaits execution. Will her family find a way to save them both?

Based on real-life events, multi-award winning author Deborah Ellis’s new book is a tense and riveting story about a world where homosexuality is considered so abhorrent that it is punishable by death.

Terms and conditions:
Must be 13 or older to enter and have a U.S. mailing address
One winner will be selected
Use the Rafflecopter widget to enter

It's Monday! What are you reading? 3-24-14

Originally hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, Jen over at Teach Mentor Texts along with Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers also host a kidlit version of It's Monday! What are You Reading?

Last week I reviewed:

Starters by Lissa Price


Last week I also finished reading:

Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
I don't even know how to describe this book other than it defies labels. You just have to read it for yourself. I don't even think I can review this one. I'm going to have to ruminate over it for a while.


Picture books I really enjoyed last week:

Rooting for You by Susan Hood, illustrated by Matthew Cordell 
When a little seed is scared to sprout, his underground friends encourage him to keep growing so he can become what he is meant to be. Less an educational book about how seeds become plants than a book that shows the benefit of taking risks in life to become who you were meant to be. The ending was absolutely perfect. It just made me feel good. 


This is a Moose by Richard T. Morris, illustrated by Tom Lichtenfeld
A thoroughly enjoyable read all around: great illustrations and hilarious story. I could see this being a read aloud hit. My favorite part is duck's realization at the end.  


Sparky! by Jenny Offill, illustrated by Chris Appelhans 
I feel like you can't go wrong when you write a story about a pet sloth.


Currently Reading:

Thrive: 5 Ways to (Re)Invigorate Your Teaching by Meenoo Rami  


Currently reading with my ears:

Boston Jane by Jennifer L. Holm
Panic by Lauren Oliver 


Current giveaway (ends today):

The Secret Side of Empty by Maria E. Andreau 


Posts last week from my teaching blog, Use Your Outside Voice:
The day the music died
#MRA14 in tweets 

Audiobook review: Starters by Lissa Price

Starters is about a time in the future where senior citizens can "rent" bodies of younger people so they can experience what it's like to be young again. While our young protagonist, Callie, has doubts about renting her body out, she knows how much the money will help her and her brother make a better life for themselves. Callie soon finds out, however, that her renter has something much more nefarious planned than just the typical banal partying and playing sports, and if she doesn't do something soon, she might find herself accused of murder. But in her attempts to stop her renter from killing someone, she unravels a much more macabre plot afoot from the very place that is renting out her body. 

This book was never on my radar so I'm happy Lissa offered me a review copy of both Starters and Enders. I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook much more than I expected to and I am looking forward to reading the sequel. If you're someone like me who isn't a huge fan of science fiction, this is a good book to get your feet wet so to speak. It's not overly science-y, and the plot has a few twists and turns along that way that keep it interesting and page-turning.

Rebecca Lowman is the narrator for the audiobook and is probably most well-known for narrating Eleanor and Park. Her voice is both soothing and provocative at the same time, as she hits just the right emotional highs and lows. I'm definitely going to be seeking out the audio of the sequel as well.


Starters by Lissa Price
Audiobook narrator: Rebecca Lowman
Published: March 13, 2012
Publisher: Delacorte and Listening Library
Pages: 352
Audiobook length: 10 hours, 19 minutes
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Young Adult
Disclosure: Review copy provided by author, audiobook checked out from library

It's Monday! What are you reading? 3-17-14

Originally hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, Jen over at Teach Mentor Texts along with Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers also host a kidlit version of It's Monday! What are You Reading?

I'm posting this a little late today because I just returned from an amazing weekend at the Michigan Reading Association conference in Grand Rapids. I had such a wonderful time hanging out with all my Nerdy Book Club friends and getting a chance to meet even more passionate, dedicated teachers.

If you want to see a taste of some of the shenanigans that went down at MRA, check out this hilarious video of Brian Wyzlic doing a dramatic reading of Click Clack Moo for the Nerdy Book Club.


Last week I reviewed:

The Secret Side of Empty by Maria E. Andreau (I'm also doing a giveaway of this book right now)
Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie T. Lamana


Some picture books I really enjoyed last week: 

A Rock is Lively by Diana Hutts Aston, illustrated by Sylvia Long
As someone who is intimidated by science, I absolutely loved this book. The illustrations are stunning and mesmerizing. 


Hi, Koo! by Jon J. Muth
Beautiful illustrations. There's something so peaceful and serene about Koo. Love this. 

The Umbrella by Ingrid and Dieter Schubert
This wordless picture book is quite reminiscent of Journey by Aaron Becker. In this story a little dog is blown away in a red umbrella and goes on his own journey.  


Currently reading:

Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
Woa! This book is a trip! I started reading it on Thursday and continued through the weekend of MRA and I was so happy my roommate Kristin was reading it too so we could talk about how absolutely crazy this book is -- in a good way. This is definitely one of those books that will go down in the category of "You're missing out on a cultural conversation if you don't read it." It really defies description. 


Still reading with my ears:

Starters by Lissa Price


Posts from my teaching blog, Use Your Outside Voice, last week:
On education, scoring, and... skating? 
Dear people who have never taught before: stop saying class size doesn't matter

Lucky Leprechaun giveaway hop

For my portion of the blog hop I am giving away:

The Secret Side of Empty by Maria E. Andreau 
Published: March 11, 2014
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 336
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audience: Young Adult

Goodreads Summary:
As a straight-A student with a budding romance and loyal best friend, M.T.’s life seems as apple-pie American as her blondish hair and pale skin. But M.T. hides two facts to the contrary: her full name of Monserrat Thalia and her status as an undocumented immigrant.

But it’s harder to hide now that M.T.’s a senior. Her school’s National Honor Society wants her to plan their trip abroad, her best friend won’t stop bugging her to get her driver’s license, and all everyone talks about is where they want to go to college. M.T. is pretty sure she can’t go to college, and with high school ending and her family life unraveling, she’s staring down a future that just seems empty. In the end, M.T. will need to trust herself and others to stake a claim in the life that she wants.


Terms and conditions:
Must be 13 or older to enter and have a U.S. mailing address
One winner will be selected
Use the Rafflecopter widget to enter

The Secret Side of Empty by Maria E. Andreau

Goodreads Summary:
As a straight-A student with a budding romance and loyal best friend, M.T.’s life seems as apple-pie American as her blondish hair and pale skin. But M.T. hides two facts to the contrary: her full name of Monserrat Thalia and her status as an undocumented immigrant.

But it’s harder to hide now that M.T.’s a senior. Her school’s National Honor Society wants her to plan their trip abroad, her best friend won’t stop bugging her to get her driver’s license, and all everyone talks about is where they want to go to college. M.T. is pretty sure she can’t go to college, and with high school ending and her family life unraveling, she’s staring down a future that just seems empty. In the end, M.T. will need to trust herself and others to stake a claim in the life that she wants.

Maria Andreau has written an important and timely book with The Secret Side of Empty. She puts a human face on the issue of immigration and the real dilemmas families face when they come to this country undocumented. This book is a fast, enjoyable, and page-turning read. Here's what worries me though: because this book is so timely and because it is so "of the day," it runs the risk of being obsolete in a few years. Immigration will always be an issue in this country, so that's not the reason I fear this book will struggle to attract readers in a few years. The reason that concerns me is because the main character in this book is so often on Facebook, what happens when Facebook is no longer part of our everyday existence? We already hear that so many teens today aren't using Facebook anymore, so imagine in a few years when the social network is really off their radar. Imagine an author writing a YA book where the main character talks about going on MySpace, or signing onto AOL. Granted, Facebook has had more staying power than most technology, but when you write a book that is so engrained in the real-world of the moment rather than creating your own fictional world, an author runs the risk of giving her book a shelf life. My bias as a reader is always to favor books that are contemporary but also timeless. Don't get me wrong, The Secret Side of Empty is an enjoyable read and one that I think could really attract reluctant readers today in 2014, I just don't know if that will be the case in 2019. I hope it will, but I'm not sure. As far as who I would recommend this book to, I think readers who love Sarah Dessen's novels would find The Secret Side of Empty engaging.


The Secret Side of Empty by Maria E. Andreau
Published: March 11, 2014
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Pages: 336
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audience: Young Adult
Disclosure: Publisher Provided Copy

ARC review: Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie T. Lamana

Armani Curtis and her family live in the Lower Nines of New Orleans. They've heard that a storm is coming, but Armani begs her parents to stay in town because her birthday party is on Sunday -- the same day Hurricane Katrina makes landfall in New Orleans. Armani's birthday quickly shifts from celebration to a scramble for her family's lives as the levees break and they must outrun the wall of water coming toward their house.

Heartbreaking yet hopeful. Terrifying yet beautiful. This middle grade debut novel by Julie Lamana is a page-turner that will leave you staying up late into the night to finish. And yet, despite not being able to stop turning pages, it is also a difficult read, but it's an important story to tell.

The ending, while certainly a realistic portrayal of the heartbreak people had to endure in New Orleans after Katrina, left me feeling empty and unsatisfied. Not because it ended the way it did --I understand why it had to end that way -- but because it ended when it did. I got to the last page and thought to myself, "But surely there's one more chapter, right?"

Finally, I want to talk about the cover. While the rain boots on the cover are significant to the main character, I have to wonder if this was a story about a white family if this would be such a non-descript cover. There seems to be this unspoken rule that publishers don't like to put black faces on the covers of books. Not only are there no black faces on the cover, but the background is so white it's literally whitewashed. This lack of diversity or HIDING of diversity in children's literature is not okay in 2014. And despite the fact that the author has nothing to do with the cover, it slightly marred my experience reading this book because all I kept thinking about was the exposing of racial inequality Katrina brought out in our country, and so the obvious refusal to put the face of a black character on the cover of a book just speaks even further to that inequality. I have always respected Chronicle Books and will continue to read their books, but I also want them to know that I expect better from them in the future. 


Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie T. Lamana
Expected publication: April 8, 2014
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Pages: 313
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audience: Middle Grade
Disclosure: ARC received at NCTE convention

It's Monday! What are you reading? 3-10-14

Originally hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, Jen over at Teach Mentor Texts along with Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers also host a kidlit version of It's Monday! What are You Reading?


Reviews from last week:

Jacob's Eye Patch by Beth Kobliner Shaw and Jacob Shaw, illustrated by Jules Feiffer
Bessie Smith and the Night Riders by Sue Stauffacher, illustrated by John Holyfield


I also posted:

Happy book birthday to Screaming at the Ump by Audrey Vernick


I finished reading:

The Secret Side of Empty by Maria E. Andreau
I'll be posting a review of this one soon.


I finished reading with my ears:

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
All teachers have to do to book talk this one is to show Malala's interview with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show, followed by perhaps a discussion or writing reflection on how and why they should be grateful for their education. So many Americans often look to sports figures and movie stars as heroes, but people like Malala are the true heroes.  


Picture books I read and enjoyed last week: 

Django by Bonnie Christensen
Don't read this book without listening to some of Django Reinhart's music. It will get your toe-tappin' and make you feel like you're inside a romantic comedy that takes place in Europe. As I listened to his music I felt like Meg Ryan as she's traveling through Provence with Kevin Kline in French Kiss, one of my all-time favorite movies. :) 

 
Let's Talk About Race by Julius Lester, illustrated by Karen Barbour 
Julius Lester deals with the volatile topic of race in a sensitive and compassionate manner. I was worried with a title called Let's Talk About Race that it would be a bit controversial, but the only people who would find this book controversial are overt racists. This is definitely a book worth sharing in a classroom full of young children.


Miss Moore Thought Otherwise: How Anne Carroll Moore Created Libraries for Children by Jan Pinborough, illustrated by Debby Atwell
 During Miss Moore's time, children weren't expected to read, let alone visit the library. But Miss Moore thought otherwise, and thanks to her pioneering efforts, children's rooms in libraries began thriving. A wonderful biography that pulls at the heartstrings of bibliophiles and children's lit lovers.

The Three Pigs by David Wiesener 
I don't know why I was expecting this to be a traditional take on the Three Little Pigs. I guess the cover illustration makes it seem deceptively traditional. But this book is anything but. And I should have known that coming from David Wiesner. Definitely a Caldecott-worthy effort! 


Two wordless picture books I read but had two different reactions:

The Chicken Thief by Beatrice Rodriguez is a delightful wordless picture book about a fox who steals a chicken -- or least we THINK the fox has stolen the chicken. Chicken's friends who attempt to rescue her might actually be in for a surprise. The Conductor, however, by Laetitia Devernay just perplexed me. It was a little too avant-garde for my tastes. Not to mention long. Or maybe it just seemed long. The "story" really could have been told with 1/3 fewer pages. I'd have to share it with students to see if my opinion changes. It's one of those books where I feel like I "get it" but I don't get it. If that makes sense.


Currently reading:

Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie T. Lamana
I just started this and I'm really enjoying it so far but I know it's going to get heartbreaking soon since it takes place during Hurricane Katrina. 


Currently reading with my ears:

Starters by Lissa Price
Lissa graciously offered to send me a copy of both Starters and the ARC of the sequel, Enders, and I'm glad she did because this book was never on my radar until now. I decided to listen to the audio instead of read it because Rebecca Lowman is the narrator and I loved her narration of Eleanor and Park. I just got to disc 4 and the plot has really started picking up.