What are you reading?

I read A LOT this week. Here are my reviews...

Blackout by John Rocco
This is a cool book. I'm from NYC, so it connected with me. The pictures were detailed and very clear. I would love to use this with my Fourth Graders to talk about how illustrations can share more than words sometimes. I think they would love to do comic strips to share a story.

Small Medium at Large by Joanne Levy
I loved this book. I made a video review about it so I could be cool like Colby Sharp and John Schu, but I was born long before 1981 and it might not be as cool as I wanted it. Check it out by clicking here.

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
This book was totally amazing. I wasn't sure I was going to like it as I read the first chapter. It seemed like I would need to channel my 10 or 11 year old boy and I wasn't sure I could do that. Then, BOOM, I was in it. As soon as his plane crashed into the lake, I was sold on Paulsen's detailed writing. I have beent thinking about Brian's journey a lot and plan to read the next books.

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L Holm
I was taken by surprise when I read this book. I had Babymouse on the brain I think and had no idea what this was going to be about. I fell totally in love with Turtle and her family and her travels. There was so much here. I am really hoping a few of my Fourth Graders choose this as a book club book so they can explore Florida in the 1930s.

Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading by Tommy Greenwald
This book had been recommended to me by several people whom I value, however I have huge issues with books that spotlight kids who hate reading and kids who prefer tv to books. I just think kids get bombarded with this type of garbage all the time. It's like when people say to kids, "well would you rather be doing math?" Um, maybe they would. What's so bad about math? We kind of need it. Oops, let me step off my soapbox. There. This book was pretty cool. He is clearly a smart kid who avoids reading by doing a whole lot of other creative, cool stuff. So I was okay with it, but don't think I could recommend it. I'm not sure I can get past my issues. What? I can say that. It's my blog.

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and other scary things by Lenore Look
This was also unexpected. You'd think I'd read up on these things before reading them. My son who is six and an amazing reader chose it at the library because it was facing forward on the book shelf (**note for classroom**). It is a great story. I know two children at our school who are selectively mute and this makes it a part of the diversity vernacular. Just another someone with something to deal with. My kids (five and six) have asked me a lot of questions about why he can't talk at school though he can talk at home. Great book.

Frindle by Andrew Clements
I was hoping to love this one, but it was just okay. I couldn't get reved up about it. I can imagine, however, that a certain kind of student would be blown over by this concept.

What I plan to read next week...I just want to add that this planning for the next week thing has been very good for me. I feel so focused and able to just grab the next one on my list. I am going to talk with my students about what I felt when I planned.