The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin...

How I Heard About It:   I think I first heard about this middle-grade novel from Colby Sharp on Twitter.  I found the title on Net Galley and put in a request for an ARC.  I was lucky enough to be granted this request.  The title will be release on September 22nd.    

What It Is About:  Suzy and Franny have been best friends for years.  They promised each other they would remain "besties" no matter what.  The two girls makes fun of the "cool" girls and vow never to be like them.  As these two young girls turn twelve and begin a new school year, Franny begins to friend the cool girls which leaves Suzy stunned.  As hard as Suzy tries to keep their friendship the same, Franny is determined to fit in with the other girls.  The two friends end up "strangers" and Franny ends up having an accident while the two of them aren't speaking.  Suzy decides not to speak any longer and her divorced parents take her to see a therapist.  During this period of not speaking, Suzy finds some information about jellyfish and comes to the conclusion that Franny's accident was caused by a jellyfish sting.  Her research on the jellyfish takes her to a scientist that is across the world in Australia.  Will Suzy find the answers she is looking for?  Will Suzy make the journey to Australia?  Will she find peace with her friendship with Franny?  These are the questions she is hoping to find.

What I Thought Of It:  This novel was completely enjoyable to read.  The writing is top notch.  The character of Suzy is heart-warming and engaging.  The plot moves along at an excellent pace.  I was emotionally attached to this story from the beginning to the very end.  I'm normally not a science/nonfiction lover, but I was interested in the facts that were presented throughout the story about the Jellyfish and other science type facts.  This was a wonderful novel to end my summer with.

Who Should Read It:   Adults who love strong middle-grade stories will be quite satisfied with this novel.  It will stand up there with the "GREAT" novels for young readers.  I'm thinking of using it for a read aloud during the 2015-2016 school year.  If a reader was going to spend time with this story on their own, I think they should be a strong reader in fourth grade or a reader in fifth/sixth grade.  Happy Reading!  

Rating:  5 STARS out of 5 Stars

Friend Friday #105 (PD Resources)...

Friend Friday
Professional
Development
Friends...





*I ran out of reading friends to review a book for my summer "Friend Friday" posts.

*I was thinking of doing a book that I read this summer, but then I started to think about the professional resource books I'm beginning to read/revisit in preparation for my 25th year of teaching.

*In a way, the books and authors, are professional development friends.

*Here are some resources I would highly recommend you read and/or revisit!

Reading in the Wild by Donalyn Miller

The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller

Creating Lifelong Readers Through Independent Reading

 by Barbara Moss and Terrell A. Young

The Reading Strategies Book by Jennifer Serravallo

On Solid Ground by Sharon Terberski

Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess

Book Love by Penny Kittle

Igniting a Passion for Reading by Steven L. Layne

Trailer Thursday #105 (Back to School Time)...

Dav Pilkey on Reading For Fun

Flash Mob "One Day More" - West Des Moines Teachers

Welcome to a New School Year

Kid President's Pep Talk to Teachers and Students

Celebrating the Joy of Reading

Wonder Wednesday #105 (Part Eleven - Last One)...

Wonder Wednesday - The Love of Reading (Part Eleven - Last One)

*This is the eleventh of an on-going series I'm going to post each Wednesday.

*I love posting on Wednesdays because it is all about the WONDERS of books, reading, and all that comes with it. 

*Each student filled out a reading survey with six questions to respond to.



*I will post their thoughts here on Wednesdays throughout the summer.

*One of my most favorite things to do as an educator is to get feedback from my students.

*Here is a look at a couple of my students' responses from the survey I gave...



STUDENT #1 - Sara

Before I was in fourth grade I thought that reading was fun because we read really good books during third grade.  

Now that I'm almost done with fourth grade I think that reading is great because reading with Mr. Andrus was so fun and I read so many books.  

This year I learned that as I reader I got better and better at reading and it was fun because last year we didn't get enough time to read and this year we did.  

To me reading is relaxing because you get to sit, read, and travel to another world.  

As a reader I'm most proud of reading a lot of books because our school read for "Mission 40,000" and everyone in our school read so many books.

The best thing about reading is there are a lot of different types of books out there because I like to read different types of stories.  




STUDENT #2 - Mark

Before I was in fourth grade I thought that reading was OK because sometimes it was relaxing but other times it was really boring.  

Now that I'm almost done with fourth grade I think that reading is fun because it is relaxing and enjoyable.  

This year I learned that as I reader I read better when I'm by myself because I think it is easier to read in my head and when I'm away from other kids.   

To me reading is awesome because it is fun to see what is going to happen next in the story.  

As a reader I'm most proud finishing The Genius Files series because they were longer books and I had never read a series with five long books in it.  Plus it was a great story.  

The best thing about reading is reading at night before bed because it is a relaxing way to end the day, makes me sleepy, and helps me fall asleep.  

Treat Tuesday #105 (A Meal by Patrick)...

Treat Tuesday - Meat Loaf

*This is a special "treat Tuesday."

*The meat loaf recipe comes from the Betty Crocker cookbook.

*This was a meal that I remember my mother making during my childhood.


*She is battling Alzheimer's Disease and isn't able to cook any longer.

*My parents are coming over for dinner tonight and I thought it would be fun to make this meal for my parents.

*I actually did the cooking today which normally doesn't happen because my wife is the cook in the family.

*I'm not sure if my mom will remember this dinner, but it brought me lots of pleasure today to make this meal for my parents.


Ingredients...

*1 1/2 pounds of hamburger
*3 slices bread, torn into pieces
*1 cup of milk
*1 egg
*1 small onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
*1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
*1 1/2 teaspoons salt
*1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
*1/4 teaspoon pepper
*1/2 teaspoon ground sage


Directions...

-Mix all ingredients.
-Spread in ungreased loaf pan (9 x 5 x 3 inches)
-Cook uncovered in 350 degree oven until done
-This usually takes about 1 1/2 hours.

Treat Tuesday:  Middle-Grade Novel


*The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin

**I'm reading the ARC (comes out September 22nd)








Treat Tuesday:  Adult Novel

*The Guest Room by Chris Bohjalian

**I'm reading the ARC (comes out January 6th)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (8/24/15)...

Thanks to Jen and Kellee for hosting this idea on their site.  Here is a link to their site...

                

 http://www.teachmentortexts.com/


*I was hoping for more time to read this past week, but I didn't find much of it.  Moving into a new home takes up a lot of time.  I'm down to one week before I head to workshop week of my 25th year.  

*Hopefully, these last few days will allow some great reading time so I can finish these awesome four books!  

Books I Read this Past Week… 

Books I Will (continue to) Read this Week… 

The Girl Who Could Not Dream by Sarah Beth Durst

*My middle-grade novel

Took - A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn

*My young-adult novel

The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin

*My middle-grade novel

The Guest Room by Chris Bohjalian

*My adult novel

The Life and Times of Jamie Lee Coleman by Michael E. Glasscock...

How I Heard About It:   I received an ARC from Net Galley quite awhile ago.  I didn't get to the novel until my summer family vacation.  I'm really glad I read this book because I quite enjoyed it.  

What It Is About:  This is the story of Jamie Lee Coleman.  It is told in first person.  The novel follows the life of Jamie from when he was a little boy until the later years of his life.  The beginning of his life was quite difficult.  His family was extremely poor and lived in a little shack in the south.  Jamie's father was an alcoholic and abusive toward him and his mother.  After taking enough abuse, Jamie runs away and vows never to return.  His luck comes from an elderly lady who takes him in and raises him as her own.  She sees a musical talent in Jamie that even Jamie didn't know he had.  She fosters this talent and it has a huge impact on the rest of his life.  He also spends time living with another gentlemen who is a lawyer.  Both of these adults were positive influences on him.  After a tragic event with his mother and father, Jamie runs away again.  This time he is sixteen, but portrays himself to the world as an adult.  Jamie spends time in Memphis and New Orleans with a variety of characters while he pursues his love of country music.  After many years of hard work, great luck, and high morals, he makes it big in the music industry.  Of course not every thing always works out the way we want and Jamie is a man with high standards and refuses to settle for anything less.

What I Thought Of It:  I really enjoyed this story.  I guess it is part of a collection of Novels by Glasscock with some of the same characters showing up in the different books.  This was a typical rags to riches story, but Jamie was such a likable and awesome character that it created a different feel to the story.  As much as I enjoyed the plot, there were times when I was bothered by the style of writing.  At times it seems very "elementary" and basic.  This didn't get in the way of enjoying the story.  Maybe at some point I will check out the other novels in this "collection."  

Who Should Read It:   I think most adult readers would enjoy this story.  It moves along quickly and isn't difficult to read.  As I mentioned, it isn't the best writing in the world, but the plot is engaging and enjoyable.  Give it a try!  Happy Reading...

Rating:  4 STARS out of 5 Stars

Friend Friday #104 (The Shack)...

Hi!  I am Nick and I read the book called The Shack written by William Paul Young.

I thought this book was incredible because it helped me think about what God might say to me in the face of human suffering.  

My favorite part in the story was when Mack meets God at the Shack and then got to walk with Jesus because I'm it helped me see and feel God's love for him.  

The character that I liked best was Mack because he struggled after a tragic event (like many do) to have faith, but in the end he found peace through his time with God and Jesus.  

I think the author wrote this book because he wanted to help people who struggled with tragic events.  

I would recommend this book to my friends because everyone will experience extreme pain because of loss and without God and faith, the pain can manifest itself into all areas of our life.  

Reading to me is extremely entertaining because I get to create the movie in my head.  I get to create what the characters look like, setting, etc.  I get to think, ask questions, make connections, and figure out the solution.  


*Nick and I are teaching buddies.  He has recently joined our BBC (Boy's Book Club).

*Nick has three young children so doesn't get much time to read, but when he does he is quite passionate about the material he reads.  

Trailer Thursday #104 (Middle-Grade and Adult Novels)...

Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool (Middle-Grade Novel)

Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool (Middle-Grade Novel)

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (Adult Novel)

Wonder Wednesday #104 (Part Ten)...

Wonder Wednesday - The Love of Reading (Part Ten)

*This is the tenth of an on-going series I'm going to post each Wednesday.

*I love posting on Wednesdays because it is all about the WONDERS of books, reading, and all that comes with it. 

*Each student filled out a reading survey with six questions to respond to.



*I will post their thoughts here on Wednesdays throughout the summer.

*One of my most favorite things to do as an educator is to get feedback from my students.

*Here is a look at a couple of my students' responses from the survey I gave...



STUDENT #1 - Mayia

Before I was in fourth grade I thought that reading was fun because I would only read a book if it interested me.  

Now that I'm almost done with fourth grade I think that reading is awesome and easy to get into because if I find the right book for me I feel like it can take me into a new world.  

This year I learned that as I reader I can enjoy the books by being entertained or getting informed because I now like learning information and now I laugh more at the books I read that entertain me.  

To me reading is amazing because it can be scary, happy, and sometimes I want to read for a long time.  

As a reader I'm most proud of reading long books because when I was little I wanted to read chapter books and longer books and now I am.  

The best thing about reading is being entertained because it is fun to read a good story and can keep you in the happiness.  




STUDENT #2 - Sam

Before I was in fourth grade I thought that reading was a waste of time because I was a big gamer.

Now that I'm almost done with fourth grade I think that reading is fun because it makes me think and entertains me with great stories.  

This year I learned that as I reader I like reading graphic novels and mystery books because I think mysteries are interesting and graphic novels are fun to read and look at.  

To me reading is interesting because I there are different things you can find in books like whole new worlds that you normally wouldn't be able to go in.  

As a reader I'm most proud the longer books I have read this year because last year I could probably have read up to 100 pages but now I could read up to maybe like 400 pages.  

The best thing about reading is how exciting it can be because it can have really exciting parts and make you very excited about the story.  

Treat Tuesday #104...

Treat Tuesday:  

Slow-Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls

*Now that many of us are heading back to school, this is the perfect dinner recipe for those busy days of teaching and busy family nights.

*We personally have not tried this yet, but a good friend of ours recommended it to us and I know it will be on our fall dinner schedule.

Ingredients...

Serves 6 to 8

1 to 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or a mix
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock, divided, plus more if needed
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup brown rice
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
Optional toppings: shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, sour cream, diced avocado, salsa, hot sauce, diced green onions, shredded lettuce

Directions...

*Combine the chicken breasts, diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup of chicken stock, chili powder, salt, and cumin in the bowl of a 2 1/2- to 3 1/2-quart slow cooker. Make sure the chicken is covered, and add additional stock if needed. Cover with the lid and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours.

*Remove the lid and add the rice, black beans, frozen corn, and the remaining chicken broth. Replace the lid and continue cooking on low for another 3 to 4 hours. Check the rice periodically in the last hour of cooking, stirring once or twice to make sure the rice cooks evenly and adding more chicken broth if the mixture seems dry. Cooking is done when the rice is tender — if the rice is done while there is still liquid left in the slow cooker, remove the lid and cook on high to let the liquid evaporate.

→ Total cooking time from start to finish is 6 to 8 hours.

*Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. You can do this either in the slow cooker itself and then mix it into the rice, or you can transfer the chicken to a cutting board if you prefer to keep it separate. Taste the burrito mix and stir in more salt or other seasonings to taste.

*Serve burrito bowls with a selection of toppings. The burrito mixture will keep for 1 week refrigerated or for 3 months in the freezer. This recipe makes about 7 total cups of burrito mix.

Recipe Notes

• Cooking the rice separately: If you won't be home to add the rice to the slow cooker, you can skip this step and cook it separately on the stovetop just before serving (use these directions). To modify the recipe, combine the chicken, diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup of stock, and spices in the slow cooker and cook for 6 to 8 hours on low. Add the black beans and corn, and cook for another 1/2 hour, or until warmed through, while you're cooking the rice (omit the remaining chicken stock).
• Vegetarian burrito bowls: Combine the diced tomatoes, 1 cup of vegetable stock, spices, rice, black beans, and corn in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, until the rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid. Stir once or twice toward the end of cooking to make sure the rice is cooking evenly.
• Beyond burrito bowls: Besides burrito bowls, you can use this filling to make regular tortilla-wrapped burritos orfreezer burritos.

http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-slow-cooker-chicken-burrito-bowls-207333

Treat Tuesday:  Middle-Grade Novel

Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool

Treat Tuesday:  Adult Novel

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (8/17/15)...

Thanks to Jen and Kellee for hosting this idea on their site.  Here is a link to their site...

                

 http://www.teachmentortexts.com/


*Another week with not much reading because I got TWO kids off to college.  One trip to Lincoln, Nebraska, and one trip to Lawrence, Kansas.  

*I only have two weeks left before I head back to school.  Hopefully I can get some good quality reading time in.  

Books I Read this Past Week… 

The Life and Times of Jamie Lee Coleman by Michael E. Glasscock

*4 Stars out of 5 Stars!

Books I Will (continue to) Read this Week… 

The Girl Who Could Not Dream by Sarah Beth Durst

*My middle-grade novel

Took - A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn

*My young-adult novel

Friend Friday #103 (Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan)...

Hi!  I am Vic and I read the book called Echo written by Pam Munoz Ryan.

I thought this book was unbelievably well written because it tells the tale of three young children, all with a gift for music, that come together at the end, all because of a single harmonica and a mystical tale.  

My favorite part in the story was the end which was amazing in itself because I'm not a person that likes the ending of too many books.  This ending was well crafted.  After the three characters overcome the hardships they were faced with, you find yourself clapping for them as they take the stage of one of the world's most famous orchestras.  A perfect way to end a perfect story.  

The character that I liked best was Friedrich because the lives of the characters in the story are well told and well developed.  Friedrich was a young boy who grew up in Germany during the beginning of WWII.  He was born with a large birth mark that covered much of the side of his face.  This mark and the fact that Friedrich was a fragile child led to many days of getting picked on and harassed at school.  It was so bad, that his father pulled him from school and got him a job working in the same factory he did.  After Friedrich's father is taken to a concentration camp for helping the local Jews of his community, Friedrich is forced to make many decisions.  In the end, the reader gets to see his strong will and his true bravery.  

I think the author wrote this book because she wanted to created a strong historical fiction story that young readers (and adults) would enjoy and learn from.  

I would recommend this book to my friends because the author has a way of pulling the reader into the lives of these three young characters.  She makes you see and feel how WWII impacted and changed all three of them differently, and then let's you feel rejoice as our characters accomplish their ultimate dreams.  

Reading to me is a favorite past time because it is a time I can be alone, enjoy a great story and start my day off right because I usually read in the early morning when the rest of my family is asleep.  It also connects me to the people I work with.  


*Vic and I have taught together for many years and have become great friends.  He is also a team member on my fourth grade team.

*We talk books daily and I'm always recommending novels for him to read.  I love giving him titles of middle-grade novels for him to share with his class.  

Trailer Thursday #103...

Trailer Thursday 

*I'm actually in Lincoln this morning bringing my daughter back to school.  She is going to be a junior at UNL.

*As I was "surfing" one of my favorite sites, "The Nerdy Book Club", I was interested in their post today.



*I decided to link up to their page today because it is all about "trailers" and features a trailer of a new book/series.

*If this isn't a site you follow, you really need to.  It is wonderful because it is all about books, reading, authors, and so much more!

*Be sure to check it out and enjoy it as much as I did...

Nerdy Book Club Trailer Post