notes on books, teaching, and tech from your friendly neighborhood librarian
Once Was a Time, Leila Sales
Historical fiction/Science fiction/Realistic fiction (whew!)
During World War II, Charlotte Bromley’s father is a physicist studying time travel. His work is top secret, but he does tell Lottie and best friend Kitty some of what he learns. Continue reading “Book of the Week: Once Was a Time, by Leila Sales”
Listen, Slowly, Thanhha Lai
Realistic fiction
Mai loves summer vacation. She lives in Orange County, California, so summer means surfing, swimming, and hanging out with her friends on the beach. Continue reading “Book of the Week: Listen, Slowly by Thanhha Lai”
Students listen to me give booktalks all the time, but it’s even better when they get to give their own. Booktalks are different from summaries or reviews – I tell my students to think of them as movie trailers for books. Continue reading “Creating Booktalks”
Full Cicada Moon, Marilyn Hilton
Historical fiction/Novel in verse
Mimi knew how things worked back in California. In California, she excelled in math and science, she had friends whose families were from all over the world, and her cousins lived right next door. And she had big dreams: to become the first woman astronaut. Continue reading “Book of the Week: Full Cicada Moon, by Marilyn Hilton”
House Arrest, K.A. Holt
Realistic fiction/Novel in verse
Timothy knows stealing is wrong. He’s not dumb. Everyone knows that. Continue reading “Book of the Week: House Arrest, K.A. Holt”
The Weight of Water, Sarah Crossan
Realistic fiction/Novel in verse
Before they’ve even left the railroad station, their suitcase breaks, and Kasienka knows that things are only going to get worse. Her father abandoned them, so now she and her mother are moving from their home in Poland to make a new life in England. Continue reading “Book of the Week: The Weight of Water, by Sarah Crossan”
Wicked Girls, Stephanie Hemphill
Historical fiction/Novel in verse
In Colonial Era Salem, Massachusetts, there is one path to righteousness and many rules to follow. Life is strict and rigidly controlled: you are told what to wear, what to believe, and who to spend time with. Continue reading “Book of the Week: Wicked Girls, by Stephanie Hemphill”
Velvet Undercover, Teri Brown
Historical fiction/Adventure
Samantha excels at everything she does. She’s at the top of her class, studies advanced math for fun, speaks five languages fluently, and serves as a messenger for MI5, the British intelligence organization, during World War I. Continue reading “Book of the Week: Velvet Undercover, by Teri Brown”
The Eighth Day, Dianne K. Salerni
Fantasy/Adventure
Perfect for fans of Percy Jackson, this fast-paced adventure story is rooted in King Arthur and Aztec legends. Continue reading “Book of the Week: The Eighth Day, by Dianne K. Salerni”
One of the eighth grade language arts teachers and I closely followed the stories and conversations about A Fine Dessert and A Birthday Cake for George Washington. Her students had already worked with case studies on controversial books, so this process wasn’t totally new to them; they’d also just finished reading To Kill a Mockingbird, so they were primed to discuss race and history. Their discussions were fascinating. Continue reading “Representing History and Race in Picture Books”