What I am Reading This Week

In order of priority:

The Cat at the Wall by Deborah Ellis

Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome

Uglies by Scott Westerfield

Mercy Watson Princess in Disguise by Kate DiCamillo

Circus Quirkus by Erin Soderberg

Digby O'Day by Shirley Hughes and Clara Vulliamy

Dear Dumb Diary (Jim Benton)

This is right up there with Sponge Bob and Captain Underpants. It is one of those books that presents me with the dilemma, "Is it responsible of me to encourage kids to read this series if it gets them hooked on reading?"

I still don't know.

I have a number of girls who really seem to love these books.

There are some laugh out loud moments, but there are also a number of cringe-worthy issues: girls who spend all their time worrying about getting a boy's attention, who could care less about school and their poor grades, and obsession about whatever the latest clothing or lip gloss or shoe fad is. I hated the fat shaming. I really didn't like the cattiness between the main character and the seemingly more popular girl.

And then I found out the author is a male.

...and I was horrified that he had so many girls so pegged....kind of like looking in the mirror and realizing you have a huge zit on your face....and it's bleeding...and everyone noticed.

I will have a hard time recommending this one. There are so many good books in this world. I can't really say this is one.

Maybe lots of people will disagree with me. I just have a hard time with this one.

The Quirks - Welcome to Normal (Erin Soderberg)

This book is even better the second time around! I don't often re-read books. I am trying to change that though. This one was even more fun the second time around. I read it this past September and this month the book club kids chose it as the book. We have been tweeted with Erin Soderberg. We have let her know we are excited about her book and have asked questions as questions come up. It has really been great.

 

We are excited to get reading! @erindowning #ffcaedu The Quirks: Welcome to Normal pic.twitter.com/kixwRmMl0z
— 3AFFCA_NWE (@3AFFCA_NWE) December 2, 2014

There are lots of questions left that I'm sure will get answered in the books that follow. We have even had some of our questions answered!

Where did the dad go?

@3AFFCA_NWE Families come in all shapes and sizes, and I wanted to reflect that. Where their dad went is a secret I'm keeping for myself...
— ErinSoderbergDowning (@erindowning) December 5, 2014

Why are there quirky pages in the book?

@erindowning One pg is upside down in the beginning ?! The copyright page! Is that on purpose or did the publisher make a mistake?? #ffcaedu
— 3AFFCA_NWE (@3AFFCA_NWE) December 3, 2014

And we still have more questions: 

Why is the grandmother a fairy? Why doesn't she talk to the family? And Niblet? What is up with that monster, Niblet, under Penelope's bed??

Can't wait for our meeting next Tuesday!

Emma and the Blue Genie (Cornelia Funke)

I have loved Cornelia Funke ever since Inkheart. I think she is brilliant.

I love this book because it will be a great way to introduce my students to Cornelia Funke and the book won't be too hard for them. She doesn't mince on vocabulary. The story is short enough though that even though it isn't easy reading, the brevity of the story will help kids who aren't as confident get through it. 

Might be really good for a summer book club that meets weekly!

The illustrations in the book are amazing. The cover seems to be a little Disney-eque. Blerg. The illustrations inside are amazing though. Really amazing.

Might be a good read-aloud. A discussion about what you would wish for if you had three wishes would definitely happen naturally after this book! I have to say, three days of an itchy scalp every day your brother bugs you is quite brilliant, really!

Goodreads summary:

What if a genie had no whishes?

Cornelia Funke, New York Times bestselling author of Inkheart, brings her signature imagination, adventure, and humor to the youngest of middle-grade readers in this charming tale of magic lost and found.

One dark night, Emma finds a mysterious green bottle floating in the ocean. When she pulls out the stopper, she sets a blue genie free!
Most genies grant three wishes, but Karim can't grant even one anymore. A yellow genie stole his magic nose ring, leaving him small, powerless, and trapped in that bottle. Emma and her noodle-tailed dog have to help Karim get his nose ring -and his magic- back! 

Tags:

Early Chapter Books - Might be good for students who are good reads and need some success in getting through some chapter books. This one is short and a good quick read. Not for early readers though.

Magic - Genies, bottles, wishes, flying carpets....so much!

Pets - Emma travels with her trusty dog, Tristan

Genies - this story has a good one and a bad one....fun!

What I am Reading This Week

This week I plan to read some more Bill Peet books to my students. 

I will also be reading Uglies.

Need to re-read The Quirks

And my new book club book: Three Men in a Boat

Oh, and I got some Mercy Watson books from the library to share with my class. I can't wait to read them too!

Farewell to Shady Glade (Bill Peet)

Goodreads Summary:

Bulldozers push the raccoon and his friends from their home, but they are able to find a new one after a terrifying train ride.

I read this to my class and they were riveted. Is it the animals? Is it the fabulously crafted story? Is it the beautiful illustrations? I don't know...but this one is a marvelous read aloud.





Tags:

Animals: Bill Peet does a marvelous job of giving animals personality
Moving: The animals have to find a new home because theirs is being destroyed

Martin Bridge: Blazing Ahead! (Jessica Scott Kerrin)

Goodreads summary:

Martin Bridge returns with more daily slice-of-life adventures. This time, Martin's first overnight camping trip with the Junior Badgers is going to be a weekend with the works! There are badges to earn, gooey campfire treats to eat, hiking trails to explore -and Alex's pranks to avoid. But when Martin finds himself on the receiving end of his friend's horror-movie slime, it's payback time! Join Martin Bridge as he blazes ahead with a flashy campfire performance, an inspired prank of his own, some lightning-fast bicycle repairs and a surefire way to make his father's old lawn mower go like blazes.

I've tried. I really tried. This was recommended to us by our librarian. I have been reading it aloud to our class. It hasn't been a hit as a read-aloud. It might be better as an individual read. The chapters go on for way too long. We are going to abandon it and move on to something else.

....and I can't find a website for the author. I did find her on a Nova Scotia writer's website though. What author in this day and age doesn't have a website?? She is a Canadian author, so I was really trying. Sorry Jessica Scott Kerrin! It didn't work out.