Readicide: How Schools Are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It

I came across this book in my search for a professional book that would help me to become a better reading teacher.  This book, an examination of teaching practices, helped me to see the light in so many ways.  Kelly Gallagher reaffirmed some of my teaching practices:  SSR and teaching one novel to a whole class, while showing me the importance of a more guided approach with my students.

One point that struck me, with the advent of No Child Left Behind and the push to have students test well, is that our national reading scores are going DOWN!  Surprising?  One would hope that if a greater emphasis is placed on a skill, that scores would increase.  However, this is not the case.  Our students are no longer being exposed to a variety of reading materials, rather excerpts intended to improve test-taking ability.  When we remove a variety of texts, Gallagher contends, we are also removing the ability for our students to gain background knowledge.

I have gained a few ideas that I plan on implementing into my classroom repertoire of instructional methods:  a chart of "What Good Readers Do" that we will add to as we experience and share strategies during class, the "One-Pager" assignment as accountability for independent reading books and the Article of the Week to infuse my classroom with better connections to the real world. I am excited to share this book and the ideas I've gleaned with my colleagues!

The 19th Wife

Being a fan of the HBO television series, Big Love, a book about the Mormons and polygamy is right up my alley!  The 19th Wife is a very informative story on the beginnings of the Mormon religion and its subsequent division into the Church of Latter-Day Saints and the "Firsts".  Adding to my enjoyment of this novel is the fact that it is not written in a traditional format.  The book is technically 3 books in one.  There are 3 stories being told:  Ann Eliza Young's narrative of her life as Brigham Young's 19th wife, a present day mystery story of the an accused murderer, also a 19th wife, and her son's quest to prove her innocence, and finally, a graduate student's dissertation, which brings the two stories together.

I will admit that my favorite portions of the novel were Ann Eliza's stories and the research done by Kelly Dee, the graduate student.   I felt the sections with Jordan Scott, the murderess's son, were a bit weaker and distracted me from the more historical sections of the novel.  However, I was impressed by the near seamless way the various parts of the novel were joined.

Although a fictional account, Ebershoff admits to doing an abundance of research and even includes a bibliography at the end of the novel.  Even so, readers should not take this novel as a completely accurate representation of the Mormon faith, nor any of its spin-offs. 

The Broken Teaglass: A Novel

I always get a kick out of books that are written in non-traditional formats, such as those written in letter form like The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society or Ella Minnow Pea where letters vanish from use as the novel progresses.  Emily Arsenault's The Broken Teaglass employs a non-traditional format as well.

The story takes place in the offices of a dictionary company.  Billy is sucked in to a mystery discovered by fellow lexicographer, Mona.  Together the two unravel words that are connected for no other reason as the are cited from a novel that doesn't seem to ever have been published.  Throughout this adventure, Billy begins to unravel who he is, and grows up.

Being a self-proclaimed "word nerd", I loved the premise of this novel.  I enjoyed the various office personalities and the quirky phone calls and letters that they were subjected to be curious amateur etymologists.  I will admit, it did get a bit tiresome to reread citations that had already appeared in the novel.   But, despite my complaint that repetition did allow me to catch things I hadn't noticed the first time.

It's exciting to think that this is Arsenault's debut novel.  I'm looking forward to reading her next book and hoping it is just as clever!

GI Jews: How World War II Changed a Generation

My husband handed me this book during our browsing expedition at Half-Price Books.  I thought he handed it to me as a suggestion for me to purchase.  Turns out, he was buying it for himself!

In any case, it was an interesting read about the experiences of American Jews in the Armed Forces during World War II.  The author had interviewed about a dozen men, mostly from New York.  She asked about their reasons for enlisting, their experiences during basic training and then there war time service.  I was surprised about the antisemitism the men encountered.  I guess it is naive of me to think that American soldiers would be exempt from that treatment in the United States, considering there were still Jim Crow laws in effect in the south during this time. 

It was interesting to hear how the Armed Forces handled the diversity of religious beliefs.  The military created a blend of the three major religions:  Protestantism, Catholicism and Judaism.  Although this blend often created discontent.  One example that stood out to me was the fact Orthodox Jews were often upset at the modification of the length of their holy days.  And, many of the more secular men expressed a renewed sense of spirituality and interest in their Judaism as the war progressed.

While the Armed Forces made sure that the spiritual needs of the men were met, there was no modification to the men's dietary requirements.  The descriptions of the men suffering through ham and eggs or pork chops laden with butter were distressing.  Men, who had kept kosher for their entire lives, found it difficult to choke down the forbidden foods.

This book provided insight in the minds and hearts of the men who fought for the freedoms we have in the United States.  They recognized had they not been born on American soil or immigrated from Europe when they had, they may have fallen victim to the Nazi's atrocious crimes.

An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793

I saw this book in the monthly book orders I send home with students from Scholastic.  I thought it would make an interesting companion to Laurie Halse Anderson's Fever 1793.  I was right!  Jim Murphy has written a very good non-fiction book about the Yellow Fever epidemic that's appropriate for middle school students.

This fact-filled book is easy to read and contains many quotes and anecdotes, making it far less stuffy than a book written for an adult audience might be.  While this book may be a bit too difficult for some of my struggling readers, it will make a great companion to Fever 1793 and a great addition to my planned Early American History literature circles!

I finished this book last night.  I'm not sure if the book will sustain my students' interest, but there are a few great chapters.  I especially enjoyed the information about the Free African Society.  I think it will intrigue students to know the former slaves provided aid willingly to the white Philadelphia residents with the hope it might elevate their status in the eyes' of the whites.  Unfortunately, after the threat of the plague was over, the members of the Free African Society fell out of favor.

Overall, this book will be an excellent companion to Fever 1793, but not a book I would have students read by itself.

The First Year: Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed

I purchased this book about 4 months after I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).  I believe I'm still in a certain amount of denial having been diagnosed with a chronic disease.  However, this book provided a wealth of information.  M.E.A. McNeil, diagnosed with RA herself, has written a comprehensive easy to understand book.  The book covers topics ranging from medication, diet and exercise to intimacy, travel and entertaining.

I was comforted by the fact that prior to writing this book, McNeil was once wheel-chair bound and totally inactive, but now is better able to deal with and manage the disease.  I've never been one to look at the bright side, so her words of wisdom and experience are very encouraging.

I know that I will return to this book again and again as both a reference and a form of reassurance.

Chains

Chains is a remarkable book for young adults about a slave girl, Isabel, in New York at the beginning of the Revolutionary War.  Always thinking about curriculum, I found this book when searching for appropriate novels to create a literature circle unit of books from colonialism through the Civil War.

Literature often provides a gateway to history, especially for those students who find the subject of American History dry.  Through Isabel's eyes, I learned about slavery in the colonies, as well as, the difference between the Patriots and the Torys.  Madame, Isabel's cruel owner, is an impossible character to like.  Her actions throughout the novel, as well as the British soldiers who were reluctant to help Isabel, and Curzon, the rebel slave boy, will spark interesting conversations about good versus evil.

I was riveted throughout my reading; however, I was disappointed in the ending, but only because it ended!  Isabel and Curzon's stories will be continued in Anderson's forthcoming novel, Forge, will be released sometime this year.  I hope that my students will be just as interested in reading the rest of Isabel and Curzon's stories as I am!

City of Thieves

City of Thieves was a very fortuitous choice considering I had just finished The Madonnas of Leningrad.  Both stories take place in Leningrad at virtually the same time, helping to give a broader picture of the massive devastation that took over this city during the Second World War.

Considering the subject matter, I fully expected the subject matter to be serious.  However, David Benioff story is quite humorous.   A looter and deserter are spared execution in exchange for the completion of a ridiculous mission:  to obtain a dozen eggs for a Soviet colonel's daughter's wedding cake.  Leningrad has been cut off from all supplies.  Residents are eating such delicacies as bars of glue made from the binding of books or bread which is mostly composed of sawdust, yet this colonel believes a dozen eggs can be found.

We follow the two young men throughout their mission.  This mission leads them through the desolate city of Leningrad and beyond to territories occupied by the Germans.  The book kept me involved and always  questioning what would happen next.  The description and action reads very much like a movie script, which is no surprise as the author is also a screenwriter.

The Madonnas of Leningrad

The Madonnas of Leningrad was selected for book club.  I loved the fact it was available on Kindle, so as soon as the title was selected, I downloaded the novel.

While the novel was a fast read, I found the jumps from present day to the World War II era, a bit confusing at times.  While I understood the author was putting us into the thoughts and mind of a woman afflicted with Alzheimer's, the transitions were often a challenge, although I know that this was ultimately the point.

I absolutely loved the concept of memorizing the paintings.  The author's description of the process and the paintings was amazing.  I truly was able to picture the works of art.  As an avid reader of all things World War II, I enjoyed learning about Leningrad and its struggles.

Catching Fire

The second book in Suzanne Collins Hunger Game trilogy is Catching Fire.  Although the second book started out much more slowly than the first, I quickly found myself back in the world of Panem.  Although I was furious with the direction of the plot at first, I was able to put my anger aside and root for Katniss and Peeta.

The creativity of the author and her ability to describe Panem, the various districts and the characters is exceptional.  I was totally immersed in the novel.  Collins, similarly to J.K. Rowling, is quickly creating readers out of my reluctant 8th graders.  A fact that I am forever grateful!

This novel ended far more abruptly than the first, leaving me anxious for the Mockingjay which is set for release August 24.

February 2010

Month two of my quest to read 100 books.  I've gained quite a bit of momentum and added a few books to my list this month!


8.  Catching Fire (The Second Book of The Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins
9.  The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean
10.  City of Thieves by David Benioff
11. Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson  
12.  The First Year: Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed by M.E.A. McNeil 
13.  An American Plague:  The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 by Jim Murphy
14.  GI Jews: How World War II Changed a Generation by Deborah Dash Moore
15.  A Broken Teaglass: A Novel  by Emily Arsenault
16.  Readicide:  How Schools are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It  by Kelly Gallagher
17.  The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff