Friend Friday #150 (Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher)

Hi!  I'm Stacy and I read the book called Dear Committee Members written by Julie Schumacher.


I think this book is funny and a bit heart breaking because the author packs so much wit and intellect into the letters of recommendation, and at the same time weaves in a sad story about one of the college students.  


My favorite part in the story is the fact that it is written entirely in letters of recommendation because I had never read a book in this format and it worked so well.  


The character that I liked best was the English professor because he is not at first a person to admire, but as the story continues, one sees the caring and concerned teacher and friend underneath the bitter and inappropriate exterior.  


I think the author wrote this book because she has experienced inequalities at the college that she works and because she wanted to write a book in a unique format.  


I would recommend this book to my friends because this is an author that can truly manipulate English vocabulary.  


Reading to me is a continual way to increase my written and spoken vocabulary because at any age one can learn to use new words.  


*Stacy is another staff member that I have worked with for years.  
*I actually had her son in my class several years back.
*Her son was (and is) an avid reader and it was so great to share book titles with him.
*Stacy and I talk books all the time.  We both have similar tastes and give each other titles.  
*She is a teacher that really gets the importance of getting young people to love reading!  

A Corner of the Universe by Ann M. Martin

How I Heard About It:  This is another one of those novels that has been on my radar for years, but I just have never gotten around to reading it.  When I was stocking up on audio books for my drive to the Kentucky Reading Summit, I added this one to the collection.  

What It Is About:  A Corner of the Universe takes the reader back to the 1950's and twelve-year-old Hattie's family.  Hattie's grandparents are wealthy and the pillars of the town.  Hattie's parents run the boarding house where their tenants come from a variety of walks of life.  Hattie and her parents find it difficult to live up to the expectations of her grandmother.  Hattie is somewhat of a loner and struggles to fit in with the other children in town.  When Hattie finds out that she has an uncle that she didn't know about, her life is about to turn upside down.  Adam is twenty-one years old and has spent most of his life at a school for "special" children.  The school closes which sends Adam back to live with his parents.  Hattie is surprised to learn that she has an uncle she didn't know about and nervous to meet him.  After their initial meeting, Hattie is thrilled to spend time with Adam and has a summer like she has never known before.  The summer has both its ups and downs, but changes Hattie's family forever.  

What I Thought Of It:  As I drove to and from the Reading Summit, this story provided me hours of entertainment.  I loved the story of Hattie, her family, and the return of Uncle Adam.  The writing was beautiful and really captured that time in our history and what it was like to live during these years in a small town.  The cast of characters were out of this world and added so greatly to the story. I found Hattie and Adam's relationship quite special and really enjoyed "watching" them get to know each other and bond.  There were a few "big" surprises that added to the plot and made for an engaging read.  The only downfall of this novel was that it took me so long to finally get to it.  

Who Should Read It:  In my opinion, I think this book would make for an excellent read aloud in grades four, five, or six.  There are so many elements in the book that would lend itself to great class discussions.  Independent readers in grades five, six, and seven would find this a riveting read.  I would also recommend this novel to any readers that have read other stories by Ann M. Martin.  She is a talented and gifted writer.  Happy Reading!  

Rating:  5 STARS out of 5 Stars

Trailer Thursday #150 (Student Trailer #8)

The Ranger's Apprentice Series by John Flanagan

Book Trailer Created by Jacob (Fourth Grade Student)

*Not a lot of students in my class read this series, but the ones who did, loved them.

*Each student in my class created book trailers (using iTrailer).

*They could pick a book they read, I read to class, or a "Breakfast with Books" selection.

*This was their first attempt at creating book trailers.

**Here are some other trailers we found to promote this book…

A Dog's Life by Ann Martin

How I Heard About It:  Ann M. Martin is one of my favorite middle-grade authors.  Her novel Rain, Reign is just an incredible story that I have shared with many students.  I know A Dog's Life is one of her older stories, but I grabbed the audio book of it at the public library before heading off to the Reading Summit in Kentucky.  It was a quick "listen" and I'm glad I finally got to it.  

What It Is About:  Squirrel and Bone are two puppies that love living with their protective mother.  She teaches them everything they need to know.  That is a good thing because one morning Squirrel and Bone awake in the barn to find that their mother is gone and they have been left on their own.  Squirrel and Bone venture out into the world and find that it isn't as safe, cozy, and peaceful as the barn they had been raised in.  These two strays have to rely on each other for their survival.  When they become separated, Squirrel is left on her own.  She comes across various locations, many humans, and lots of "steps" and "missteps".  Squirrel just wants to find a home that she can call her own.  She uses her keen senses and everything her mother and brother Bone taught her to survive and find that special place.  

What I Thought Of It:  This was such an enjoyable and sweet story.  I love that it was told from the point of view of the dog.  It reminded me of the adult novel The Art of Racing in the Rain.  The narration was excellent and the plot held me attention the entire read/listen.  The many adventures and situations that Squirrel found herself in were interesting and heart-warming.  I liked to see the world from her viewpoint.  This view reminded me of my own dog.  After listening to this Martin novel, it just firmed up even more what a great author she is.  

Who Should Read It:  This middle-grade novel would be perfect for readers in grades four, five, and six.  I also think it would be a phenomenal read aloud.  Young readers who love animals, especially dogs, would find this to be a wonderful story to read.  Happy Reading!  

Rating:  4 STARS out of 5 Stars

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

How I Heard About It:  To get ready for my summer road trip to #NerdCampMI in early July, I stocked up on audio books so I would have lots of choices in the car.  This has been a title that I have been aware of for years.  I just never put it at the top of my list.  When I saw the audio of it, I decided to finally give it a shot.  

What It Is About:  The story begins with a large birthday party being held in a South American mansion.  The party is in honor of a Japanese diplomat.  Inside the mansion, are terrorists who want to take the President hostage.  Little do they know, the President has decided not to show up at the party and has sent the Vice-President instead.  One of the most famous guests is a famous American Opera singer.  As soon as she finishes her performance, the hostage situation begins.  Eventually all the women except the singer are released.  The terrorists keep the remaining guests in the home for days, weeks, and finally months.  There are many unique relationships and developments between the hostages, the terrorists, and the American singer.  

What I Thought Of It:  So many readers raved about this story that I had high hopes for it.  Sometimes when they happens, the actual story doesn't measure up to all the "hype."  I would have to say that happened with this particular book.  It just didn't grab me like I thought it would and overall the plot didn't captivate me like I know it has for many readers.  I'm not sure if it was because of the narrator on the audio, or just the plot line.  There were some interesting moments throughout the pages that kept me listening.  While writing this post, I got a call from my sister and mentioned I was reviewing the book and she praised it as one of her favorites.  

Who Should Read It:  There are many readers who put this novel at the top of their "favorite" list.  Just because that didn't happen for me, I still think there are many people who will enjoy this story.  Adult readers who enjoy a detailed fictional tale of intrigue, secrets, and suspense will find this a satisfying read.  Ann Patchett does an incredible job of describing her characters so readers of charter driven stories, will also be a great audience for the novel.  Happy Reading!  

Rating:  3 STARS out of 5 Stars

Wonder Wednesday #150 (Reading Summit)

Wonder Wednesday - Reading Summit

*What a summer it has been!

*First, I finally got to #NerdCampMI at earlier in July.

*Now, I was able to attend one of the six Scholastic Reading Summit's that have been held this summer across the country.

*I jumped into my car on Monday and drove for about 10 1/2 hours to Covington, Kentucky.

*The Reading Summit was held on Tuesday, July 26th.  It was a PD day to end all PD days!

*I learned so much from so many incredible presenters.

*Here is a look at how I spent my day...

Treat Tuesday #150 (Book Release Day)

Treat Tuesday:  Scholastic Reading Summit

*Another week that I'm featuring a "treat" that doesn't involve food and/or beverage.


*I'm spending the day at the Scholastic Reading Summit in Covington, Kentucky.

*It was a long drive on Monday, but so worth it.  Such great energy at this Summit.

*More thoughts will follow on a future blog post.


Treat Tuesday:  Middle-Grade Novel

Treat Tuesday:  Young-Adult Novel

Treat Tuesday:  Adult Novel