Friday, August 29, 2014

Diversity on the Shelf Challenge

My Little Pocketbooks

Challenge Details
1. Any book (by any author) with a main character that is a person of color qualifies for this reading challenge, as well as any book written by an author of color. The goal is to encourage readers have a more diverse reading experience and to support diversity in the publishing industry by reading and reviewing books by or about person of color.

2. The challenge will run from January 1, 2014 – December 31, 2014 (books read prior to 1/1/2014 do not count towards the challenge). You can join anytime before 12/1/2014. Sign up at My Little Pocketbooks

3. Books can be any format (print, ebook, audio).

4. Novellas, Short story collections, Poetry, Graphic novels/manga, Children Books, and all genres are allowed. 

5. Books can be of any publication date. 

6. You can choose your books as you go or create a list in advance. Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.

Pick a Level
Choose how many diversity centered books you would like to add to your “read” shelf in 2014:
1st Shelf: Read 1-6 books
2nd Shelf: Read 7 -12 books
3rd Shelf: Read 13 - 18 books
4th Shelf: Read 19 -24 books
5th Shelf: Read 25+ books
Once you pick a level you can go higher and read more books but you cannot go down a level.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

The Vengekeep Prophecies

BIBLIOGRAPHY


Farrey, B. (2012). The Vengekeep prophecies. Ill. by Brett Helquist. New York: HarperCollins.

SUMMARY

Jaxter Grimjinx is a thief. A terrible thief. His family is known throughout the provinces as cunning masterminds….except Jaxter. He’s clumsy and slow and thinks too much. However, when a false prophecy turns true, it’s up to Jaxter to save his family and his town.

PLOT ANALYSIS

For years readers have read of witches and wizards who come by their powers naturally. Jaxter is not one of them. Some of his charms are results of his failures. Farrey refreshes readers with a protagonist who doesn’t have it all together. Jaxter certainly never thought himself to be the only hope for his town and family.

Along Jaxter’s journey, he meets some unusual characters—goblins, fellow thieves, half human jackals, spiderbats. Farrey introduces readers to a whole new world of supernatural creatures—too many to keep track of!

Farrey uses Jaxter’s first person point of view to clearly describe the areas in which he’s traveling. However, some of the characters and places are so outlandish that they distract the reader from the actual plot. I was personally so confused the description of a creature that I forgot the purpose of Jaxter meeting the fellow.

Farrey does not hold back any on the twists and turns of the plot. Just when the reader thinks Jaxter is finally going to succeed, BOOM! Another challenge! There does come a point when the independent conflicts come together and all the loose ends are tied up. Kudos to Farrey for writing in such detail.

The common theme of good triumphs over evil is intertwined in several of the conflicts Jaxter faces during his adventure. In the end, Jaxter learns that his differences are not deficiencies. In fact, they are strengths that make him unique in his family.

While the original languages and unusual creatures may confuse readers, The Vengekeep Prophecies has proven to be a story one must finish. Readers will desire to see Jaxter to the end of his quest!

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Lone Star Reading List, 2014
 Kirkus Best Children’s Books, 2012
Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, 2012

CONNECTIONS

Tapestry
Design a tapestry (digital or physical) depicting an important year of your life. Use the images to explain the significance.

Animal Adaptations

Create a flipbook with a variety of animals’ front, middle, and rear areas. Flip the book to create an unusual creature. Write a brief blog post about your animal and any supernatural powers it may have.

School Spirits

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Hawkins, R. (2013). School spirits. New York: Hyperion.

SUMMARY

Izzy Brannick has never done the school/friends/boys thing. She’s just helped her mom fight off supernatural beings. In School Spirits, Izzy must fend off an angry ghost while trying to assume the role of a “normal” teenager.

PLOT ANALYSIS

Author Rachel Hawkins creates relatable characters in Izzy Brannick, her mom, and new school friends. Izzy faces typical teenager challenges. Hawkins nicely weaves in the supernatural elements without creating a terribly horrifying experience.

Setting the story in a small town and a contemporary high school gives the reader a feel of normalcy. Descriptions of the school aid the reader in visualizing the challenge Izzy faces as she is ghost-hunting.

Hawkins uses several twists to keep the plot moving, especially toward the end when life or death decisions must be made. The characters’ quick and creative thinking allows the conflict to resolve logically.

Hawkins writes in first person, from Izzy’s point of view. This allows the reader to get into the head of Izzy as she experiences many teenage firsts—school days, friendships, crushes.

Hawkins hits on themes of strong relationships and good trumps evil as Izzy and her friends work together to destroy the vindictive ghost of Mary Evans. Izzy grows through this first solo hunt, what was supposed to be an “easy” job. She learns what motivates her to keep fighting while holding on to these newly formed friendships.

While not horribly frightening, School Spirits engages readers with relatable characters mixed with the excitement of a ghost story.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Lone Star Reading List, 2014
Publishers Weekly Starred Review, 2013

CONNECTIONS

Related Books
Hex Hall series by Rachel Hawkins
Wait til Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn

New Kid Survival Guide
Students will create a survival guide complete with supplies for a new student in school.

School Hauntings
Students will research school hauntings throughout history and present their findings using their Web 2.0 tool of choice.



Thursday, August 1, 2013

How They Croaked


BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bragg, G. (2011). How they croaked: The awful ends of the awfully famous. New York: Walker & Co.

SUMMARY

How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous surveys briefly the life and deeper into the deaths of several of the world’s most well-known people such as King Tut, Albert Einstein, and Marie Curie. Additional tidbits of information are also included.

PLOT ANALYSIS

How They Croaked offers enlightening information about the deaths late famous people as well as further information relating to the deaths such as the cremation process, lesser known phobias, and burial sites. Bragg cites many sources used to achieve accurate information. However, the book is not 100% accurate. In one section, a list of famous people buried at Westminster Abbey includes Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King is buried in Atlanta, Georgia. I thought maybe it was an error that would be corrected with Martin Luther; however, upon further investigation I learned Luther is buried in Germany.

While the text is informational, the tone is juvenile and quite often humorous. Bragg does a great job of take a more comfortable approach to an eerie subject matter. The illustrations are caricature-like, which is appropriate considering the audience. The book’s premise is also inviting.

The layout of each chapter is similar: introduction and background about each person, a description of how they died along with addressing and correcting misconceptions about people’s pasts or causes of death. Bragg often informs readers about medical practices that have since been discovered that could have saved these people’s lives.

Even though a few errors appear in the text, the overall quality of the book is exceptional; one I would recommend to young readers.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Lonestar Reading List, 2013
Cybil Award Finalist, 2011

“From George "Little Mouth of Horrors" Washington to Marie "You Glow, Girl" Curie, Bragg chronicles with ghoulish glee the chronic or fatal maladies that afflicted 19 historical figures. Nonsqueamish readers will be entranced by her riveting descriptions of King Tut's mummification (and the brutal treatment that mummy has received in modern times); the thoroughly septic "doctoring" that hastened or at least contributed to the deaths of Mozart, Napoleon, James A. Garfield, and others; the literal dissolution of Henry VIII's body ("While lying in state, it is believed that his toxic remains exploded, and some of his royal splendidness dripped out the sides of the coffin overnight"); and the outrageous fates of Einstein's brain, Galileo's fingers, and other coroners' souvenirs. The author tucks quick notes on at least marginally relevant topics, such as leeching, scurvy, presidential assassins, and mummy eyes ("If mummy eyeballs are rehydrated, they return to almost normal size"), between the chapters and closes with generous lists of nontechnical print resources on each of her subjects. O'Malley's cartoon portraits and spot art add just the right notes of humor to keep the contents from becoming too gross. Usually. Despite occasional farfetched claims it's hard to believe that Charles Darwin puked four million times, even though he was fanatical about keeping personal health records this all-too-informative study deserves the wild popularity it will without doubt acquire.” –Booklist, 2011, starred review

“The most reluctant of readers will find it difficult to resist this consistently disgusting chronicle of the gruesome deaths of 19 will famous people.” –Kirkus Review, 2011

CONNECTIONS

Prezi Presentations
Choose another famous person who has passed. Research how he/she passed away. Create a Prezi to describe briefly the person’s life and in more detail their death. In Bragg’s style, add other lesser know tidbits.

Funeral for a Famous Friend
After learning more information about one of the people featured in How They Croaked, write a eulogy for that person as if you knew that person. Comment on what they accomplished and mention how they died.

The One and Only Ivan



REVIEWS & RECOGNITION

Newbery Medal, 2013
Texas Bluebonnet Reading List, 2013

"How Ivan confronts his harrowing past yet stays true to his nature exemplifies everything youngsters need to know about courage. … Utterly believable, this bittersweet story, complete with an author's note identifying the real Ivan, will inspire a new generation of advocates." –Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Applegate makes a powerful statement about the treatment of animals–especially those living in captivity–and reminds readers that all creatures deserve a safe place to call home. Castelao's delightful illustrations enhance this lovely story, and the characters will capture readers' hearts and never let go. A must-have." –School Library Journal (starred review)

"This book will break your heart—and then, against all odds, mend it again. Such a gentle fantasy is rare; such an evocation of our need to grow, to be free, to become our best selves, is rarer still. In cheering for Ivan and his friends, we cheer for our own humanity and our own possibilities. Read this." – Gary D. Schmidt, National Book Award finalist, Okay for Now

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Tua and the Elephant



AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Texas Bluebonnet Reading List, 2013

“Vivid descriptions, a heavy sprinkling of Thai words in the dialogue, and Yoo's evocative full-page art, keep the setting firmly in Thailand without feeling overtly educational or heavy-handed. Tua's generous nature and impetuous actions make her a spunky, endearing heroine. Hand this to fans of Kate DiCamillo, those looking for a glimpse of life in modern Asia, or anyone who enjoys a rollicking animal adventure story.” –Booklist, 2012

“For a book aimed at middle graders, kudos on three fronts: providing a child's-eye view of Thailand with foreign words to be decoded in context, creating a strong connection between the elephant and the girl and using a simple vocabulary to introduce the complex issue of poaching. Yoo's multiple illustrations, done in charcoal and linoleum block prints, catapult the story even higher. Foreign yet familiar, the action is often humorous and reinforces the sweet bond between pachyderm and "peanut." A rousing adventure that introduces the issue of elephant trafficking in a gentle and appropriate way.” –Kirkus Reviews, 2012

CONNECTIONS

Virtual Field Trip
Visit the Elephant Nature Park website for more information about the elephant sanctuary in Thailand. Using a Web 2.0 app such as SlideRocket, create a presentation that takes your class on a virtual field trip of the park.

Thai Culture
Harris educates readers about Thai culture through his story. One piece of information he hints at is that pointing is deemed rude in this culture. Research further cultural traits including religion, terrain appearances, education, the night market, and more. Present this information using an animation app such as Animoto or Second Life.

Tua and the Elephant Reader’s Theater
Create a reader’s theater script that will give potential readers a preview of the book. Include Tua, the mahouts, and A