Some more books

Right before I decided to post the books I read on this blog, I had just finished a couple of really good novels. I hesitated to post these books because some of the content is not suitable for every child. However, I got to thinking that my passion is reading. I am not going to be the one to censor books. My goal is find books that students will be interested in reading. As I told all the sixth graders during my last book talk, "I really don't believe that anyone hates to read. If you feel that way it is not because you dislike reading, but because you have not been reading the good stuff". So, I have decided to place these books on the blog because I loved them. If you don't think you are supposed to read these books or your parents say no, then don't read them. These are merely suggestions. I am not forcing you to read these. That is my little disclaimer. Always listen to your parents. On with the books.

Ant Farm by Simon Rich is a collection of very short stories or should I say thoughts about what if a different perspective was taken on many issues we faced growing up. There were some stories I really enjoyed especially the perspective of ants dealing with humans and when some students at the elementary age level realize that the "silent game" teachers have them play is really not a game. Being a collection of short stories you may not enjoy or laugh at every single one, but this is a light and funny read to break up always reading some big, thought provoking book. Nothing wrong with this book in terms of content.

The main character in Evil by Timothy Carter is Stuart Bradley. He knows that many people in his small town where he lives do not think highly of him because he is openly gay, runs his mouth when maybe he shouldn't(like in church), and is known to communicate with demons. His town is very small and conservative so that does not help his situation. So when his brother catches him committing the Sin of Onan (biblical spiller of seed)(you can figure that out on your own or by reading the book) he finds himself being pursued by almost everybody in his small town. Before you know it, the town is going after every child who has ever had an impure thought. Along the way Stuart finds out that there is a fallen angel who is creating the atmosphere for all the crazy behavior.

I loved this book. I found it to be quite humorous and thought provoking. My description of the book does not do it justice. It is also another fast read. Carter really makes the reader stop and ponder the points he makes about tolerance and the dangers of over literal, de-contextualized, biblical interpretation. This book does not bash religion in any way. However, it does make you think and reflect on what is right and wrong.

MowPow Disclaimer: This book is a suggestion. It does contain some subject matter that parents may not feel comfortable with their child reading so please check with parents first.

Saturday Morning Insights

Today is a day of many emotions. Well, I am still half asleep so maybe that is why I feel a little bit scattered this morning. My coffee has not quite removed the crust from my eyes. It is a sad day today. Why? I know I am not a man of much emotion besides being loud and boisterous, but today I learned that the Reading Rainbow television show has been cancelled after a 26 year run. I will admit that I have not seen an episode in quite some time, but that does not take away from how much I loved this show growing up. Later as an adult to hear the host, Levar Burton, be the voice of the audio book Watsons Go To Birmingham always brought back memories of the theme song.

"Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high
Take a look, it's in a book - Reading Rainbow.

I can go anywhere!
Friends to know and ways to grow - Reading Rainbow.

I can be anything!
Take a look, it's in a book - Reading Rainbow.

Reading Rainbow, Reading Rainbow, Reading Rainbow, Reading Rainbow!"

Sorry, but how about a moment for a theme song that will surely be stuck in your head all weekend.





On a happier note, my son Aiden has his first soccer game this morning. I will be joining that major mass of people at Paul Norton who occupy the Crow Creek road and the school. I will be in there watching my son do who knows what. He is excited, but I question his knowledge of the game since neither of his parents know anything about the game. It should prove to be interesting.
I have rambled, but now it is time to drink more coffee and watch some SpongeBob and do some reading(surprise, surprise). I need to enjoy these moments as I am back in school to learn again at Drake.

As Adam Sandler states in Billy Madison, "Yahoo for school and yahoo for me!"

I'm out, take it easy and keep Reading Rainbow in your hearts this weekend.

Surviving Antarctica: Reality TV 2083

Are you a fan of reality TV? Do you like adventure and a mission where the impossible is staring you in the face? If you answered "yes", then I suggest you read Surviving Antarctica: Reality TV 2083 by Andrea White.

For this review I am going to quote the review of the hardcover in KLIATT, May 2005:

White's novel predicts the future of television as the source for all edu-tainment headed by the government's Secretary of Entertainment. In 2083, a toss of the dice determines which 14-year-olds win scholarships to continue their education and which will have to go out into the world of work to earn a meager living. For those who lose the toss, there is little else to do, unless selected to be a participant on one of the many reality shows where large cash prizes barely offset a year's tuition. The newest installment of the Historical Survivor series is a reenactment of Robert E Scott's 1912 expedition to the South Pole by five 14-year-old kids. Polly, Billy, Andrew, Robert and Grace are selected because each of them brings a special talent to the show. Polly has a photographic memory. Grace is an Inupiat Eskimo. Andrew has remarkable navigation skills. Robert has excellent leadership and survival skills. Billy is the only one with serious snow and ice experience. Or is he? As the teens head out to Antarctica to start their expedition with the same equipment Scott's team used, they are monitored by the night shift in the Department of Entertainment. Steve has just been transferred to this shift, and the Antarctic Survivor kids have become his special project. Of course, no one on the original expedition survived, and whether or not these five contestants will make it to the Pole alive is just what sends ratings through the roof. Peppered with excerpts from actual historical documents, this novel marries historical and futuristic page-turner. Michele Winship, Asst. Prof., Capital Univ., Columbus, OH J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers. S--Recommended for senior high school students.

Two More Books Down the Hatch

I finished up two other novels in the last couple days. The first was Total Constant Order by Crissa Jean Chappell. I chose to read this book because this author is available for a Skype video conference for free. How cool is that? So, I decided I would read the book to see if it would be worthwhile for the students. This novel deals with a girl named Fin. She has OCD that really spins out of control when her parents divorce. She cannot stop counting. The novel takes the reader along for the ride as she deals with doctors, medication, life of being a teenager, and dealing with divorce. She also meets a boy who causes her to think about herself. A great read IMHO. I don't really dig "romance" so that element of having a crush did not do much for me, but aside from that it was awesome.

The second book I read was titled Willow by Julia Hoban. This might be one of my favorite novels this year. It has definitely replaced my previous favorite books Cut and Speak that deal with similar issues. I never thought that I would say that out loud. Willow is a 17 year old girl who is trying to cope with the loss of her parents by cutting herself. The reason she is so upset by the death of her parents(who wouldn't no matter the reason) is that she blames herself because she was driving the car that killed them. This book really makes the reader stop and think about what would we do. She tackles a tough issue and delivers a very powerful story. I read a ton of positive reviews about this book and that sometimes keeps me away from reading a book. However, once I sat down and began reading this book I was not able to stop. Cutting is a serious topic so read only if you are comfortable with topic as well as your parents.

The Chosen One

I just finished The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams late last night. I have not had such emotion from reading a book in a long time. I think I spent a majority of this book feeling anger and pity for the main character. Her name is Kyra and she is part of a polygamous compound. She has been "Chosen" to marry her uncle who is 60 years old. Did I mention that she is only 13? This subject has been in the headlines the past year, but this novel depicts the thoughts and ideas of Kyra as she tries to find her own belief system and to find a way out of the marriage. A must read! I was not able to put this book down and it really made me stop to think about what is right and wrong and who am I to judge?

Man, I Feel Old

Beloit College attempts to help academics each summer with its "Mindset
List," which is updated annually to
reflect what the latest class of freshmen will have experienced -- and
what they may have no personal knowledge of. This year's list follows,
as prepared by Tom McBride, professor of humanities at the college, and
Ron Nief, emeritus public affairs director. The list is based on the
assumption that most students entering college for the first time this
year were born in 1991, meaning -- the list reminds us -- that for these
students, Martha Graham, Pan American Airways, Michael Landon, Dr.
Seuss, Miles Davis, The Dallas Times Herald, Gene Roddenberry, and
Freddie Mercury have always been dead.

Here's the list:

1. Dan Rostenkowski, Jack Kevorkian, and Mike Tyson have always been
felons.

2. The Green Giant has always been Shrek, not the big guy picking
vegetables.

3. They have never used a card catalog to find a book.

4. Margaret Thatcher has always been a former prime minister.

5. Salsa has always outsold ketchup.

6. Earvin "Magic" Johnson has always been HIV-positive.

7. Tattoos have always been very chic and highly visible.

8. They have been preparing for the arrival of HDTV all their lives.

9. Rap music has always been mainstream.

10. Chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream has always been a flavor
choice.

11. Someone has always been building something taller than the Willis
(née Sears) Tower in Chicago.

12. The KGB has never officially existed.

13. Text has always been hyper.

14. They never saw the "Scud Stud" (but there have always been
electromagnetic stud finders.)

15. Babies have always had a Social Security Number.

16. They have never had to "shake down" an oral thermometer.

17. Bungee jumping has always been socially acceptable.

18. They have never understood the meaning of R.S.V.P.

19. American students have always lived anxiously with high-stakes
educational testing.

20. Except for the present incumbent, the President has never inhaled.

21. State abbreviations in addresses have never had periods.

22. The European Union has always existed.

23. McDonald's has always been serving Happy Meals in China.

24. Condoms have always been advertised on television.

25. Cable television systems have always offered telephone service and
vice versa.

26. Christopher Columbus has always been getting a bad rap.

27. The American health care system has always been in critical
condition.

28. Bobby Cox has always managed the Atlanta Braves.

29. Desperate smokers have always been able to turn to Nicoderm skin
patches.

30. There has always been a Cartoon Network.

31. The nation's key economic indicator has always been the Gross
Domestic Product (GDP).

32. Their folks could always reach for a Zoloft.

33. They have always been able to read books on an electronic screen.

34. Women have always outnumbered men in college.

35. We have always watched wars, coups, and police arrests unfold on
television in real time.

36. Brits have always owned The New York Daily News.

37. Amateur radio operators have never needed to know Morse code.

38. Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Latvia, Georgia,
Lithuania, and Estonia have always been independent nations.

39. It's always been official: President Zachary Taylor did not die of
arsenic poisoning.

40. Madonna's perspective on Sex has always been well documented.

41. Phil Jackson has always been coaching championship basketball.

42. Ozzy Osbourne has always been coming back.

43. Kevin Costner has always been Dancing with Wolves, especially on
cable.

44. There have always been flat screen televisions.

45. They have always eaten Berry Berry Kix.

46. Disney's Fantasia has always been available on video, and It's a
Wonderful Life has always been on Moscow television.

47. Smokers have never been promoted as an economic force that deserves
respect.

48. Elite American colleges have never been able to fix the price of
tuition.

49. Nobody has been able to make a deposit in the Bank of Credit and
Commerce International (BCCI).

50. Everyone has always known what the evening news was before the
Evening News came on.

51. Britney Spears has always been heard on classic rock stations.

52. They have never been Saved by the Bell.

53. Someone has always been asking: "Was Iraq worth a war?"

54. Most communities have always had a mega-church.

55. Natalie Cole has always been singing with her father.

56. The status of gays in the military has always been a topic of
political debate.

57. Elizabeth Taylor has always reeked of White Diamonds.

58. There has always been a Planet Hollywood.

59. For one reason or another, California's future has always been in
doubt.

60. Agent Starling has always feared the Silence of the Lambs.

61. "Womyn" and "waitperson" have always been in the dictionary.

62. Members of Congress have always had to keep their checkbooks
balanced since the closing of the House Bank.

63. There has always been a computer in the Oval Office.

64. CDs have never been sold in cardboard packaging.

65. Avon has always been "calling" in a catalog.

66. NATO has always been looking for a role.

67. Two Koreas have always been members of the UN.

68. Official racial classifications in South Africa have always been
outlawed.

69. The NBC Today Show has always been seen on weekends.

70. Vice presidents of the United States have always had real power.

71. Conflict in Northern Ireland has always been slowly winding down.

72. Migration of once independent media like radio, TV, videos and
compact discs to the computer has never amazed them.

73. Nobody has ever responded to "Help, I've fallen and I can't get up."

74. Congress could never give itself a mid-term raise.

75. There has always been blue Jell-O.

Saturday Morning Insights

I have added a link to the right for my book talks. This link will give you access to my book talk powerpoint and other suggestions from myself and students. I hope that some of you email me suggestions of books and also letting me know your thoughts about the books that I suggested if you choose to read them. I had a great time doing book talks to the 300 plus sixth graders on Friday.

Anyways, I have just returned from the Putnam for the opening of the new Egypt exhibit. My son Aiden and I went as our "Guy Time". He loved it and had a great time. We have got to find a way to get the sixth graders there to see the mummies. How can something so cool be so close to our school and curriculum and yet not be a possibility for a learning tool?

I have come across another cool website. I am going to host a little competition(if anyone actually reads this blog and participates). This website is an online artpad. Simply paint me a picture and send it my way. I will post the paintings and have a contest to see whose painting receives the most votes. Here is the link. I will post my painting later this week.

Saturday Morning Insights

Well, as I am in my office at home trying to sort through all the crates of material from my classroom that I no longer have I need to take a break to share some more useless information.

First, I came across this website that has conducted research about what cover designs appeared on fantasy books for 2008.

Second, I will begin to post books that I have read so all students and followers will have access to my book suggestions. I will not always be able to reach all students at BMS and I have already had several students come to me for suggestions. Hopefully this will help some of you out.

Third, with Book Challenge Week approaching I thought I would post this Google map showing all the challenges and bans from 2007-09. I cannot believe how many exist.

I am off to continue the quest for organization in my office.

Another addiction added to my list of addictions

Don't say I did not warn you!

I will never get any work done ever again.

Free Stuff

I came across this information when reading my favorite blogs every morning before working out at 5 a.m. This is actually something worthwhile for students.

The entirety of Scott Westerfeld's Uglies.

Enjoy!

The Blog is Back!

A new school year has now begun and therefore so has my urge to get my blog back up and running. This blog will slowly be changing as I have taken on a new job at BMS this year. Slowly, this blog will become more student friendly and the students will start to have more say in design and what actually gets posted(within reason). I welcome everyone back to school and look forward to finding out what this new position and school year have in store for everyone. Party on Wayne!