It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 9-1-14

Thanks to our dynamic hosts: Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kelle at Unleashing Readers.

Head to either blog to find reviews as well as dozens of links to other blogs filled with reviews!

On Tuesday I will welcome ten students into my brand new classroom, my new home away from home.  I've taught 3rd and 4th grade for eight years in a public school.  I've seen many changes in education in those few short years.  And I can't say they were all positive changes.  I don't believe we need to test kids to the extremes we have begun to accept as normal.  I wasn't excited about the prospect of my son entering school in a few years to a technology filled kindergarten setting.  I was saddened by the policies and frustrated by my time being filled with goal setting and observation write-ups and ipad trainings and common core EVERYTHING.

And then I saw a job posting at an independent school.

I applied, and I got it.

I'm truly going to miss seeing some of the amazing people I worked closely with for the past eight years.  But, I have to say, I am getting to know some very amazing people at the new school.

And the best part, the very best part: politicians and policy makers will not be deciding what I teach, how I teach it, or how I report out on it.  I will be the person running my classroom.  The teacher running the classroom.  Imagine that.  My hands are untied and I suddenly feel lighter.

I have many future photos to share, but this one is so special to me.

The building my classroom is in was undergoing a huge expansion this summer.  For many days I arrived on campus hoping to be let into my new room, only to find that the move-in date had been pushed back another day.  With the school year rapidly approaching I was getting anxious.

So, there I was, sitting in an early meeting this week-literally on the edge of my seat, waiting for the go ahead to begin moving into my classroom.  My parents were meeting me at school with a U-Haul trailer filled to the brim with my collected belongings (mostly books).  The day was going to be long, that trailer was packed.

So as I sat there feeling equal parts anticipation to get into the new room, and dread at the amount of work ahead of me, I heard the most wonderful words come out of the Head of School's mouth...He urged all staff to go help the Lower School teachers move into their building-including unloading that beast of a U-Haul.

So, there they are, the amazing faculty and staff at the school I now belong to.

It's going to be a great move forward.

And look who has been helping me sort and organize my things once the boxes were opened:

Just my very favorite small person in all of the world!

Books I Read this Week:

Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood by Nathan Hale

Amulet Books, 2014

Historical Fiction/Graphic Novel

128 pages

Recommended for grades 5-8

This time Hale takes on the ambitious task of putting WWI into a short, understandable, graphic novel.  The who, what, where and whys are not easy to keep straight with no background knowledge, so Hale decided to represent each involved country with a different animal.  If you can remember that Russia are the bears-or was that Germany-then you are all set!  I've got to admit, I found this installment tougher than the previous three, but that could be due to the fact that I was reading it at all hours of the night while feeding the baby.

Even so, I love this series, and think it is a must for classroom libraries 4th grade and up.

Half a Chance by Cynthia Lord

Scholastic, 2014

Realistic Fiction

224 pages

Recommended for grades 3-6

If you've read Cynthia Lord's work then you know she has a knack for writing touching, realistic stories with a timeless feel.  Set in New Hampshire, Lucy is relocating yet again with her parents.  When she befriends a neighbor and his family, Lucy finds herself having a wonderful summer learning about loons and honing her photography skills with Nate.  Lord decides to include a character with onsetting dementia, and I think she handled that character well.  Dementia is an awful thing that many of us are familiar with.  For a child the idea of a beloved grandparent no longer acting like them-self is scary.  Nate and Lucy can help young readers understand this better, and will perhaps open avenues of conversation around this topic within families. 

Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker by Patricia Hruby Powell

illustrated by Christian Robinson

Chronicle Books, 2014

Biography

104 pages

Recommended for grades 4+

Do you know who Josephine Baker was?  Well, good for you, aren't you clever!  In reading this book I was introduced to her, so her story was new to me.  I adore the illustrations in this book.  Like the text, the illustrations at times are sparse, yet so alive.

Josephine's life was an amazing journey through show business and beyond, and this book left me wanting to know more.  I'm especially curious about all of her adopted children.  What became of them, her Rainbow Tribe?  Go pick this one up, you'll enjoy it.

I'm Currently Reading:

On Deck:

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful reading week!