Styling Librarian: What are you reading: #IMWAYR October 8th 2012

Thanks to: TeachMentorTexts for the inspiration! Thanks to Jen and Kellee for the meme!  I enjoy keeping track of my reading and sharing with others each week.  I was a little slower with reading this week, yet, still I got through a few! Think I was stretching myself in too many directions with professional reading expectations along with personal, fun books.

The Snow Maze by Jan Mark, illustrated by Jan Ormerod – Simple, yet brilliant book that addresses multiple issues: open-mindedness, being a reflective thinker, bullying… I thought the story had an interesting premise of a boy who finds a mysterious large key that opens a secret gate and door. The magical yet realistic quality of what is behind the door leads to a beautiful conclusion including acceptance, friendship, and determination. This is a book I’d label as an “oldie but goodie”. – Perfect for read aloud with grade 2-4. Book Description from publisher: One day on the way to school, Joe finds a key in the long grass. It is a large, heavy key. Joe thinks a giant might have dropped it. His friend Irrum thinks it might be magic. But Akash says the key is no good because it doesn’t open anything. He laughs at Joe and makes the others laugh too – except Irrum, who says that Joe should try the key in the lonely gate. When Joe turns the key in the gate, it opens up into a new world. Jan Mark has twice won the Carnegie Medal and has also won “The Guardian” Award, the “Observer” Teenage Fiction Prize and the Angel Award for Fiction. Her books include “Thunder and Lightenings”, “The Dead Letter Box”, “Fur, Strat and Chatto” (winner of the 1990 Mother Goose Award), “Fun With Mrs Thumb”, “This Bowl of Earth”, “Taking the Cat’s Way Home” and “Great Frog and Mighty Moose”.

Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton Trent by Lauren Child – Brilliant child born to shallow parents becomes the creative hero in this story. Great one to share with children to demonstrate needs vs. wants—shall be passing to a few grade level teams that will be discussing this very topic! Fantastic for a 2nd/3rd grade read aloud! Goodreads Summary:  Boy genius Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton-Trent-H for short- is the answer to his rich parents’ prayers. He is their dear companion, their fiercest board game adversary, and their frequent guest at parties. But this prodigy’s parents don’t share his knack at accounting-and they can’t imagine ever running out of money. Will Hubert be able to save the Bobton-Trent’s fabulous estate – or might they be just as happy without it, after all? With exuberant collage illustrations and a hilarious text, award-winning author and illustrator Lauren Child has created an irreverent story about the true value of money and the dividends of happiness.

Connor’s Eco Den by Pippa Goodhart, illustrated by Martin Remphry – loved the environmental impact message, blatant points made on global warming, and the action and educational messages that are shared throughout. Great family story about three boys having to share one bedroom and then they get the challenge to create their own… Great book to pass to an environmentally caring yet reluctant reader.

Tomorrow Girls –  Run For Cover by Eva Gray – These books make me anxious. You could tell this one was in the middle of a series. Didn’t go too far even though characters were developed and the story was told through a new perspective. Enjoying the series overall so far though. Great to pass to a 4th/5th grade girl who is interested in reading Hunger Games… Goodreads Summary: In a terrifying future world, four girls must depend on each other if they want to survive. Now that best friends Louisa, Rosie, Evelyn, and Maddie know the truth — or at least the danger they’re in — the girls have run away from their “safe” country retreat. But life is riskier than ever, and Rosie still doesn’t know who she can trust. Rosie’s survival skills are top-notch. But how well can she keep her own secrets?

Adult book (audio book) completed this week:

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – Interesting story, fantastic audiobook. Interesting long term conflict to follow with characters that are fascinating. Imagining a circus alive through magic is quite the concept. Goodreads Summary: The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.
But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.
True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.
Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

Professional Books Read this week:

Rethink~ Ideas for inspiring school library design– Edited by Susan La Marca, Featured section by Kevin Hennah – Fountain of library design ideas shared with research and experience through this book. I found it quite inspiring, especially with the pictures you can use. I attended Kevin Hennah’s workshop and was thrilled with the practical ideas I was able to take away and apply/purchase for the library.

Keepin’ It Real – Integrating new literacies with effective classroom practice by Lisa Donohue – what a resource this is, especially for any teacher, not just teacher librarian. There are lessons for fantastic online web 2.0 tools that are put into valuable instructional context. Enjoyed every minute reading this book.

Want more book ideas and reviews? – Yes, I’m quite brief, but a prolific reader!  Please visit me at Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1941055-the-styling-librarian

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