It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

To learn more about It's Monday! What Are You Reading? visit Mentor Texts

This book is not on our official short list for the Newbery this year, but it is a 2014 book and as I am always telling my book club members, any book from 2014 could win.

 

A middle school boy tries to buy the election for student council president. With the feel of a heist movie, Jackson Greene assembles a team of “experts” to steal the election from a fellow student who has paid off the principal to ensure a win. Such a clever and witty story. I enjoyed it thoroughly!

Genre: adventure

AR level: 4.6

Grade appropriate: 4th and up

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Overall: 5/5-- With the characters constantly referring to stunts pulled in the past, I kept double checking to make sure this wasn’t a sequel. It’s not, but I still felt like I was missing something because I didn’t know about the previous events they referred to.

Creativity: 5/5-- I love the idea of a heist book that doesn’t actually have to do with stealing a physical thing. I’m a huge fan of Loot and The Gallagher Girls series, this had a different feel because it was much more realistic.

Characters: 5/5-- I loved having a character to root for (Jackson) and characters to hate (Keith and Mr. Kelsey.) All were well developed enough to inspire strong feelings.

Engrossing: 5/5-- It’s a book you want to keep coming back to.

Writing: 5/5-- I will say some of the Star Trek references were lost on me although it didn’t really detract from the story as much as the references to previous shenanigans did. Even after I was 100% sure that this was not a sequel I just kept thinking, “Surely there’s another book I missed!”

Appeal to kids: 5/5-- They’ll love it!

Appropriate length to tell the story: 5/5

CONTENT:

Language: none

Sexuality: mild-- the main character kisses a girl to make a fellow student mad. (nothing graphic, just a brush of lips) There is talk of dating and going to formals together but all very innocent and clean.

Violence: none

Drugs/Alcohol: none

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

To learn more about It's Monday! What Are You Reading? visit Mentor Texts

 

Genre: Fantasy   

AR level: 4.9

Grade appropriate: 5th and up   

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Overall: 5/5--I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I will say it’s for a more mature reader. There’s a bit of language (see my note) and in the beginning the children are taken from their loving parents for their safety. Being an expecting mother (and pretty emotional right now) that was a hard part for me to get through. But once I got past that part I was sucked in!

Creativity: 5/5--Nothing like any other fantasy book I’ve read before.

Characters: 5/5-- Loved the characters. They seemed very real, likable and believable.

Engrossing: 5/5

Writing: 5/5

Appeal to kids: 4/5-- Kids who are fantasy fans already will eat it up. Not for kids who are new to fantasy.  

Appropriate length to tell the story 4/5-- Longer than I expected.

CONTENT:

Language: mild--several instances, “damn” “hell” “bloody”

Sexuality: none

Violence: mild-- heros fight the evil characters

Drugs/Alcohol: mild-- the main villain drinks wine and brandy (maybe vodka at one point?) but it is not discussed at length. 

 

 This book is not on our mock Newbery list because it was on last year's list. And it won an honor!! We were thrilled that a book from our short list got an award.  

(Actually 3 of the 4 honors were on our list, not that I'm bragging or anything!)

I just never got a chance to read it last year when we were frantically reading the list books and I just now got my hands on an audio version.

Genre: Historical        

AR level: 4.8

Grade appropriate: 5th grade and up

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Overall: 4/5-- I truly enjoyed this book and really wasn’t expecting to. I’m not all that into Historical fiction at this point (loved it as a kid) but I knew this was an honor from last year and wanted to be able to say I read it. I’m so glad I did! It was a good one.

Creativity: 5/5

Characters: 5/5-- Realistic and likeable.

Engrossing: 4/5-- At the beginning several books came across my desk that I wanted to read and I kept thinking about quitting this one before I really got started. But I’m glad I stuck it out. Once I was into it I kept wanting to come back to it.

Writing: 5/5

Appeal to kids: 3/5-- It’s not an easy one to convince kids to pick up. Historical fiction is not the most popular of genres in our library and this book is a bit harder to sell than some others.

Appropriate length to tell the story: 5/5

CONTENT:

Language: none

Sexuality: mild--The main character’s sister kisses a boy and the character observes it. She also sees a boy in his “union suit” (long underwear) and admires him, nothing graphic or inappropriate mentioned.

Violence: mild-- The main character hunts and at one point has to decide whether or not to kill 2 men who are hurting her friend.

Drugs/Alcohol: none

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

 

To learn more about It's Monday! What Are You Reading? visit Mentor Texts

This is a book from our new modified Newbery Possibles List.

Genre: Realistic

AR level: none yet

Grade appropriate: 3rd and up (even 2nd if they are capable of reading it.)

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Overall: 5/5-- I loved this book! Sweet and triumphant. As a parent I could identify with the parents who just want their child to be normal, but I also rooted for Gladys and her passion for cooking and gourmet food.

Creativity: 5/5-- The author was a magazine editor and realized that she never met many of her freelance writers face-to-face. She realized that if they were a good enough she could be publishing articles written by a child! Great idea for a book!

Characters: 5/5-- Loved Gladys and Sandy! Would have loved to be friends with them as a kid.

Engrossing: 5/5-- Absolutely! Just a pleasant read from beginning to end.

Writing: 5/5-- great! didn’t get in the way of the story.

Appeal to kids: 5/5-- Kids who loved Poppy Pendle are going to love this one too!

Appropriate length to tell the story: 5/5

CONTENT:

Language: none

Sexuality: none

Violence: none

Drugs/Alcohol: none

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

 

To learn more about It's Monday! What Are You Reading? visit Mentor Texts

This is a book from our new modified Newbery Possibles List.

This book was nothing that I was expecting. When I read a summary that said this book was about a boy from the middle east who is moving to Michigan, I was expecting a boy from the slums in a war-torn country who fights his way to America. 

I was blown away by how similar Aref’s life is to a very typical American kid. He goes to school, collects rocks, hangs out with his grandfather, and doesn’t want to leave the country and city that are dear to his heart. I recommend this book to anyone who is proud of where they live and sees the adventure of moving to a new place daunting! 

Genre: Realistic

AR level: 4.6

Grade appropriate: 2nd and up

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Overall: 5/5-- Great book that broadened my view of the “middle east.”

Creativity: 5/5

Characters: 5/5-- My favorite was Sidi, Aref’s grandfather. I want to go hang out with him too!

Engrossing: 5/5-- very quick read.

Writing: 5/5-- Loved how simply this book was written. The Arabic thrown in here and there make it a little more difficult, but mostly it is an easy, light read.

Appeal to kids: 5/5-- I think once we can get them reading it they’ll love it. The synopsis doesn’t really draw them in.

Appropriate length to tell the story: 5/5

CONTENT:

Language: none

Sexuality: none

Violence: none

Drugs/Alcohol: none

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

 

To learn more about It's Monday! What Are You Reading? visit Mentor Texts

This week in addition to reading books for the Newbery Book Club I am re-reading an older favorite for the Quest for the Crown competition we have. 

~~~

Albie struggles in school. He feels alone and like a failure. So easy to identify with.

***Soapbox alert!***

I about lost my mind when Albie’s mom told him he was too old for Captain Underpants, that they were for babies. LET YOUR KIDS READ WHAT THEY LOVE!!! Their reading levels will increase if they are reading, even if it isn’t Johnny Tremain. I PROMISE!

Genre: Realistic

AR level:

Grade appropriate:

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Overall: 5/5-- As the mom of a kiddo for whom learning is very difficult, I loved this book. I loved how he figured things out like the 100 cups making 4 stacks of 25. It was so real. He does the same thing over and over and he just learns naturally. I also loved how he decided that he wasn’t going to get upset over a bully calling him names. It gives him so much power.

One drawback is that is babysitter encourages him to dishonest several times. While I disagree with the way his parents were doing things, I absolutely disagree with a babysitter encouraging a child to lie to his teacher and parents.

Creativity: 3/5-- It’s hard to be too “outside the box” when writing a book like this. Realistic fiction about a kid who struggles.

Characters: 5/5-- Loved Albie. Loved Calista. Loved the transparency of Albie’s parents and the mistakes that they make.

Engrossing: 5/5

Writing: 5/5

Appeal to kids: 5/5-- I think kids are really going to identify with Albie. Everyone feels bullied or like they are dumb at some point.

Appropriate length to tell the story: 5/5

CONTENT:

Language: none

Sexuality: none

Violence: none

Drugs/Alcohol: mild-- Albie’s grandfather (who is not very nice) drinks a red/brown drink when he comes to visit.

Other: This is sometimes a concern at our school but one of Albie’s friends has “dads.” Nothing more is mentioned about it.

~~~

I loved this book the first time around and as always with Rebecca Stead’s books it has a crazy twist ending. I have wanted to read it again now that I know the ending and it being a Bluebonnet/Crown book this year has given me the excuse!

Genre: Mystery

AR level: 3.8

Grade appropriate: 4th and up

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Overall: 5/5

Creativity: 5/5-- Rebecca Stead is a master of the hidden plot. She totally had me fooled the first time I read this book.

Characters: 5/5-- I love Georges’s big picture outlook and the way he stands up to the bullies.

Engrossing: 5/5

Writing: 5/5-- How can she give hints to the hidden plot all along but not give it away?

Appeal to kids: 5/5

Appropriate length to tell the story: 5/5-- very quick read

CONTENT:

Language: none, mild, medium, high--the bullies at school use a couple of bad words. “damn” and they call one girl "Terry Con-chest-y"

Sexuality: none

Violence: none

Drugs/Alcohol: mild-- mom drinks a glass of wine

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

 

To learn more about It's Monday! What Are You Reading? visit Mentor Texts

For Newbery club: 

Genre: Science Fiction 

AR level: 5.6

Grade appropriate: 5th and up

RATING BREAKDOWN: 

Overall: 3/5-- This is not my favorite kind of Fantasy. See my notes on the writing. 

Creativity: 5/5-- Unusual. Not like any story I’ve read before. 

Characters: 4/5-- The characters were fine, but not endearing. There is growth throughout the book for all the main characters. 

Engrossing: 2/5-- I really had to push through this one. I listened to the audio version so that helped me not give up on it. 

Writing: 3/5-- There’s so much that the narrator has to explain to the reader when we are plopped down in the middle of a world so different from our own. Some authors do it in such a way that you don’t even realize and it feels effortless. That is not the case with this book. It is very labor intensive trying to learn the ins and outs of this world. 

Appeal to kids: 4/5-- While not my favorite, this does strike me as one of those books that our hard core Sci-Fi/Fantasy readers will enjoy. 

Appropriate length to tell the story: 3/5-- Too long 

CONTENT: 

Language: none

Sexuality: none 

Violence: none-- the girls are almost trapped by slave traders and they are rough with the girls. 

Drugs/Alcohol: none

~~~

 

To learn more about It's Monday! What Are You Reading? visit Mentor Texts

For Newbery club: 

Genre: Science Fiction 

AR level: 5.6

Grade appropriate: 5th and up

RATING BREAKDOWN: 

Overall: 3/5-- This is not my favorite kind of Fantasy. See my notes on the writing. 

Creativity: 5/5-- Unusual. Not like any story I’ve read before. 

Characters: 4/5-- The characters were fine, but not endearing. There is growth throughout the book for all the main characters. 

Engrossing: 2/5-- I really had to push through this one. I listened to the audio version so that helped me not give up on it. 

Writing: 3/5-- There’s so much that the narrator has to explain to the reader when we are plopped down in the middle of a world so different from our own. Some authors do it in such a way that you don’t even realize and it feels effortless. That is not the case with this book. It is very labor intensive trying to learn the ins and outs of this world. 

Appeal to kids: 4/5-- While not my favorite, this does strike me as one of those books that our hard core Sci-Fi/Fantasy readers will enjoy. 

Appropriate length to tell the story: 3/5-- Too long 

CONTENT: 

Language: none

Sexuality: none 

Violence: none-- the girls are almost trapped by slave traders and they are rough with the girls. 

Drugs/Alcohol: none

~~~

This is not a new book, but it's one I never read when it was new. Let me tell you, it is a WEIRD concept that two young girls would hide a dead body and live weeks by themselves after burying it in the garden...

Genre: Realistic

AR level: 4.4

Grade appropriate: 5th and up

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Overall: 3/5-- such a disturbing thought that 2 little girls would hide the body of a dead aunt so they didn’t have to answer to child protective services…

Creativity: 4/5-- It is an unusual idea...

Characters: 5/5-- I really liked Angel and Stella. I wanted them to succeed. I loved George.

Engrossing: 2/5-- I don’t know if you’ve picked up on it yet, but I didn’t love this book…

Writing: 3/5

Appeal to kids: 2/5-- It’s a book we’ve had in the library for a while and even though the cover is appealing it doesn’t get much circulation.

Appropriate length to tell the story: 3/5

CONTENT:

Language: none

Sexuality: none

Violence: none

Drugs/Alcohol: mild-- the vacationing parents drink beer as they cook out.

Other: Not sure if this will put anyone off, but one of the vacationing families has 2 moms. The book does not mention anything else about the family.

This is not a new book, but it's one I never read when it was new. Let me tell you, it is a WEIRD concept that two young girls would hide a dead body and live weeks by themselves after burying it in the garden...

Genre: Realistic

AR level: 4.4

Grade appropriate: 5th and up

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Overall: 3/5-- such a disturbing thought that 2 little girls would hide the body of a dead aunt so they didn’t have to answer to child protective services…

Creativity: 4/5-- It is an unusual idea...

Characters: 5/5-- I really liked Angel and Stella. I wanted them to succeed. I loved George.

Engrossing: 2/5-- I don’t know if you’ve picked up on it yet, but I didn’t love this book…

Writing: 3/5

Appeal to kids: 2/5-- It’s a book we’ve had in the library for a while and even though the cover is appealing it doesn’t get much circulation.

Appropriate length to tell the story: 3/5

CONTENT:

Language: none

Sexuality: none

Violence: none

Drugs/Alcohol: mild-- the vacationing parents drink beer as they cook out.

Other: Not sure if this will put anyone off, but one of the vacationing families has 2 moms. The book does not mention anything else about the family.

2nd Annual Newbery Book Club

It's that time again! Yesterday was the kickoff of our Newbery Book Club. 

We had 25 students join us during lunch for the first meeting.

Here's our plan: 

We are all reading books published in 2014. We will get together every week between now and the Newbery announcement in January. We'll each talk about which book we read this past week and we'll discuss which ones we think are Newbery contenders. 

We did this last year and it was so much fun! Not just for me. I have it on good authority that the kids and other teachers loved it too. 

We did run into one minor bump in the road this year. We made a short list of 27 books we had researched and that had the "Newbery Buzz!" But we had 25 students and 5 teachers wanting these 27 books. 

I decided that this was an awesome problem and since ANY book published in 2014 can win I ordered another 10 books that are new this year. We are keeping our short list, but we are being very open about reading ANY 2014 book.

Here's our short list. I'd love to see it compares to the ones other people are considering. 

You can print our list by clicking on either page below.