IMWAYR

I haven't been doing a lot of reading because I'm working hard to get caught up on marking and to get ready for Learning Conferences. If somehow the clock fairies find some extra time for me, this is what I want to read this week:


Actually, I gave up on reading this one. I'm going to listen to the book. I'm irritated that my book club picked it when it isn't even a true story. Not going to invest that much time in it.



I love this one. Serious 9 year old hilarity.



Still working on The Ripple Effect. I read it before I go to sleep. Unfortunately, lately, that takes about 4 minutes.

The Witness Wore Red (Rebecca Musser)

This book totally has me rubber-necking. I am horrified by it - but I couldn't stop reading it. 

What those men do in that cult is the same as sex trafficking. What a sad disaster. I'm amazed that they can talk women into this lifestyle.

Goodreads says:

Rebecca Musser grew up in fear, concealing her family's polygamous lifestyle from the "dangerous" outside world. Covered head-to-toe in strict, modest clothing, she received a rigorous education at Alta Academy, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' school headed by Warren Jeffs. Always seeking to be an obedient Priesthood girl, in her teens she became the nineteenth wife of her people's prophet: 85-year-old Rulon Jeffs, Warren's father. Finally sickened by the abuse she suffered and saw around her, she pulled off a daring escape and sought to build a new life and family.



The church, however, had a way of pulling her back in-and by 2007, Rebecca had no choice but to take the witness stand against the new prophet of the FLDS in order to protect her little sisters and other young girls from being forced to marry at shockingly young ages. The following year, Rebecca and the rest of the world watched as a team of Texas Rangers raided the Yearning for Zion Ranch, a stronghold of the FLDS. Rebecca's subsequent testimony would reveal the horrific secrets taking place behind closed doors of the temple, sending their leaders to prison for years, and Warren Jeffs for life.



THE WITNESS WORE RED is a gripping account of one woman's struggle to escape the perverse embrace of religious fanaticism and sexual slavery, and a courageous story of hope and transformation. 

Willow's Smile (Lana Button)

Willow has a hard time smiling. We discussed some of the reasons some people might not wear a smile....they might be blue, they might have someone they're sad about, they might have been hurt physically or emotionally, or they might be shy. The book never really says why but it does seem to teach a lesson: when you're feeling down, if you do something for someone else, it might lift the other person up as well as yourself.

Goodreads says:

“Sometimes Willow smiled without even trying. But sometimes when she wished she could and knew she should, her smile slipped straight off her face.” So when her teacher tells the class that Picture Day is coming, shy Willow starts to worry. What if she isn't able to smile for the camera? How can she have her picture taken without smiling? But then on Picture Day, Willow gets the opportunity to watch the other children being photographed. She sees that all of her friends' expressions are unique, and perfect in their own way. And by the time it's her turn, she's realized that she doesn't need to worry about smiling for her picture. She just needs to be herself. 

In this sweet picture book, author Lana Button has created a relatable and reassuring story that offers children a terrific model for how to deal with a difficult experience in a socially and emotionally competent way. The simple illustrations by Tania Howells beautifully capture the story's focus through the range of emotions so clearly expressed by Willow and her classmates. This book provides opportunities for character lessons on self-respect, empathy and resilience. It would work for a classroom introduction to the annual ritual of Picture Day as well, a subject not often covered yet very significant to young children. It could also lead to a conversation about why we take pictures and what makes a great picture, and to activities such as making a class photo album.

IMWAYR

It's Monday! Here's what I'm reading this week:

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing is my husband's favorite book. Everytime I'm mulling over what the next book choices should be he tells me why we should read this book. This month we are!



I didn't quite finish my book club book last month, so I really need to get that read this week:


Next month's book is Three Cups of Tea. I'm really tossed about this one. Do the people in my book club know the story is not true? I read this before. I'm not sure I want to read it again - so I'm going with the audio book to make it easy:


I gave up on this one. We started out on the wrong foot with his subtitle: Give yourself the gift of done. My mom always said done was not proper. You were supposed to say 'finished'. Done is for cooking. Not sure if that's true - but I can't get past it after hearing this mantra so much growing up. I should have probably given it more time, but I didn't like the first couple chapters about cutting your goals in half:

Crickwing (Janell Cannon)

I love these books by Janell Cannon! Verdi and Stellaluna are both beautiful books.

The vocabulary in the books is quite challenging - but it works.

Goodreads says:



Artistic flair and the spirit of cooperation save the day!
Crickwing never set out to be a bully. All he wants is to create his art in peace. But it's not easy being different--a cockroach with a cricked wing and a flair for sculpture is a ready target for the bigger creatures in the forest. Crickwing just wants to even the score, and leafcutter ants are so easy to pick on. ...
Big mistake. INobody/I angers the leafcutter queen and gets away with it.
In this epic adventure beneath the foliage, Crickwing and the leafcutter ants go head-to-head. Then a swarm of ferocious army ants threatens, and suddenly everyone is in danger. Crickwing has to do something, but what? He's an artist, not a fighter. What the leafcutters need is a hero. Or, maybe, a cockroach with a really clever idea...
About the Author: Janell Cannon's picture books have won many awards and are beloved around the world. Before she became a full-time creator of books for children, she designed and produced summer reading programs at her local public library. Born and raised in Minnesota, Ms. Cannon now lives in Southern California. 

Princess Smartypants Breaks the Rules

She's at it again. And I love it! In this book she recruits more princesses to see things her way. Fun story.


Goodreads says:

When the Queen packs off Princess Smartypants to finishing school, it seems that our favourite royal might become a perfect princess after all . . . huh, no chance! Instead, Princess Smartypants makes her own school rules and teaches those other do-goody princesses just exactly how to have fun.

Mrs. Smartypants Rules (Babette Cole)

My conservative  upbringing makes me cringe a little at Princess Smartypants - and party of me delights in reading it. Not everyone wants to get married. Nor does Princess Smartypants. In this book she wants a baby, but her parents say she can't because she doesn't have a prince. She ends up getting a baby by mistake when a recipe goes awry. Then she finds out it's not that fun and finds two dragon eggs to hatch and become her full time babysitters.

After reading a couple Princess Smartypants books I had to find out about Babette Cole. I think I like her!

Why did she write stories like this?

 .... partly because she liked to shock and partly because she felt she had a duty to make sure children were properly informed. (from an obituary in The Guardian)

And you know, that isn't always a bad thing!

Goodreads says:

Princess Smartypants has always preferred her royal pets to a pesky prince, but when she decides it would be lovely to have a baby, nothing can stand in her way!
Sure enough, a twist of fate brings her just what she has been hoping for, but she soon realizes babies can be an awful lot of trouble. Perhaps Princess Smartypants wasn't cut out for motherhood after all-but fortunately she knows just who is. . . .
Publishers Weekly wrote of the first Princess Smartypants, "Truly comical watercolors in softly glowing colors complement this fairy tale parody perfectly . . . an appealing book for budding feminists."
This is a hilarious royal romp, packed with action and drama, from master storyteller Babette Cole.