The Dumbest Idea Ever! by Jimmy Gownley (2014)

Dumbest Idea Ever! by Jimmy Gownley

Dumbest Idea Ever! by Jimmy Gownley

Great graphic novel about not giving up and keeping your dreams alive! Loved it! Couldn’t put it down. There aren’t any chapter breaks so it’s easy to lose track of time and just keep on reading away the afternoon. The art work reminded me of Raina Telgemeier’s work. She has done Smile, Drama and her upcoming book Sisters due out this August (can’t wait to read that too!). Jimmy Gownley’s art is easy on the eyes and not too cluttered. I find graphic novels a turn off when there is just way too much going on in a single frame or page.  Reluctant readers will enjoy this book (and those who aren’t)!

Handbook for Dragon Slayers by Merrie Haskell (2013)

Handbook for Dragon Slayers by Merrie Haskell

Handbook for Dragon Slayers by Merrie Haskell

I understand why this book won the 2014 Schneider Family Book Award (middle school)!

<http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/schneider-family-book-award>.

I love reading from the award lists and I always balk when it comes to fantasy books. “Handbook for Dragon Slayers” grabbed me right away (surprisingly)! I was hooked right away.

Thirteen year old Princess Mathilda, or Tilda, as most people call her, is princess of Alder Brook. She was born with a deformed foot but it doesn’t stop her from going on an adventure she never thought she would be on. There’s upheaval in her town and she ends up with two dragon slayers. She doesn’t complain about her foot or that she can’t do certain things, she states facts about how much she can do or not do. She was told she couldn’t ride a horse and should stay clear of them. She ends up riding a horse and does a good job at it too. She learns a lot about herself by the end of the book.

I liked the fairy tale elements throughout the story and that Tilda wanted to write her own book and publish it for all to read. I have to admit there were a few words I didn’t understand even in context. I had to look them up.

As I read, I think of the reluctant reader or a reader who may struggle, and these words may turn off a reader. The overall wording sounds very modern considering it takes place during ‘castle and knight times’, with horses for transportation. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to everyone!

Grace Hopper Computer Pioneer by Joanne Mattern (2003)

Grace Hopper Computer Pioneer by Joanne Mattern

Grace Hopper Computer Pioneer by Joanne Mattern

Grace Hopper Computer Pioneer by Joanne Mattern is a great biography for elementary students. It presents the information about the how Grace Hopper joined the Navy and worked with computers. A fun fact is that a moth had gotten into the computer she was using and stopped the computer from working. She ‘debugged’ the computer and started the term, we use still today, “debug”. She literally had to debug her computer to get it to work again. Grace Hopper Computer Pioneer is a great addition to any library.

 

Journey into Dyslexia (2011)

Journey into DyslexiaThis past weekend I watched a DVD called Journey into Dyslexia. It was an HBO documentary from 2011. Here is the link to the trailer. It was really good in so many ways. It reminded me of the The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia that I saw back in February 2014, directed by James Redford and he came to my school and talked with some parents before our big evening event where his film was shown to the community.

Journey into Dyslexia was a documentary on HBO. I don’t know how I missed it but I am glad a family friend told me to watch it. The film shows many students’ (mainly high school) struggles and how some were even suicidal (in the 6th grade). Many stories just tore at my heart strings. It amazes me what teachers have said to these students to tear them down more and most teachers who don’t understand different learners are  likely to not even realize (or care) the devastation they are creating by putting a child down because they can’t write their own name or spell or read well, etc. They showed two schools (high schools) for different learners, one in NY and one in PA, and adults who are dyslexic and struggled terribly in school and succeeded in life. Many of the adults say they would never want to ‘get rid of’ their dyslexia today. “Dyslexia is a gift” it is what made them who they are today. In hindsight they would have done anything back in school to have gotten rid of their dyslexia and glad they couldn’t. it, it’s only 77 minutes long. Available on HBO Go, Amazon, Netflix and check your local public library.  http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/journey-into-dyslexia#/

You Don’t Even Kow Me by Sharon G. Flake (2011)

You Don't Even Know Me by Sharon FlakeI really, really enjoyed reading “You Don’t Even Know Me” by Sharon G. Flake. I usually do not like to read short stories; they usually don’t sit well with me; the stories may not connect well together and that turns me off (too much ‘jumping around’). The stories had a different main character but it worked well.

I was just talking with a coworker how this book would be perfect for high school students to choose a story and write/respond to the story. Students can respond to the literature instead of writing about “what makes me happy’, “what I did over break”, or some other topic. These stories will help students think more critically.

The stories had me on the edge of my seat, not knowing where they were heading. The stories were edgy enough but not over the top. I would think, ‘oh this story is going to be about…’ and took a dramatic turn that I didn’t expect. A few stories don’t have a ‘complete’ tidy ending. Students could elaborate on the endings in a class or small group discussions and have them share their point of view of what happened and what they think is going to happen if the author continued writing.

Paperboy by Vince Vawter (2013)

Paperboy by Vince Vawter

Paperboy by Vince Vawter

A wonderful story! Would make a great read aloud! Paperboy definitely deserved the 2014 Newbery Honor Award. Paperboy is very different than your usual ‘different learner’ character. Maybe different learner isn’t the right word, but I don’t want to use ‘disabled’ either. The main character is an 11-year-old who stutters, sometimes very badly to the point of fainting to get a word out. The author wrote about himself and his struggles during the summer of 1959 in Memphis when he took over his best friend’s paper route. He really learns a lot about himself and his neighbors during the four weeks in July that he was the paperboy. It is a coming of age story and so much more.