Sunday, May 29, 2011

The Gift

Friday, May 20, 2011

Between Shades of Gray

Sunday, May 1, 2011

May 2011

Monday, April 25, 2011

If I Stay

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Thirteen Reasons Why

Thursday, April 21, 2011

The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child

I think my opinion may be a case of too much hype before reading.  Definitely a worthwhile read and some great ideas, but the book did not have the WOW! factor I was looking for!  I guess I was expecting a "magic bullet", a this-will-get-every-single-student-reading solution.  But, like many things in life, there is never a one-size-fits-all answer.

This is a great read for education students, but for a seasoned veteran, there isn't really any new information.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Witch and Wizard

Ugh... lazy imagination. This book is filled with Patterson's trite way to reference modern everything by "cleverly" swapping letters or changing a name slightly to create a new persona. Freida Halo... ugh. So lame.

I read this book, under duress, because a student asked me. I cannot see myself continuing the series, unless the same student asks me.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Gone

Friday, April 1, 2011

April 2011

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Alice I Have Been

Monday, March 28, 2011

People of the Book

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Carry Me Home: A Novel

Monday, March 21, 2011

The Westing Game

For being a Newberry Award winning book, I was surprised by how bored I was by Ellen Raskin's The Westing Game.

I thought the plot was extremely convoluted, that there were too many characters to keep track of, and that ultimately, the game created by Westing was pointless. I suppose this may be one of those children's books that is better left to children. It's unfortunate that I didn't enjoy it more as I was considering including this novel in my Mystery unit.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Mockingbird

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Everwild

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

March 2011

Sunday, February 13, 2011

The Magician (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel)

Saturday, February 12, 2011

I Am Number Four

Friday, February 11, 2011

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

Ugh... I am neither a Tiger Mother or a Pushover. Granted, my daughter is only 4. Should I be concerned that she is not fluent in a second language, that she isn't reading and despite a year of ballet is not on deck to be a prima ballerina? Of course not. There is time for all of that.

I have taught middle school for 15 years. I see the impact of both types of parents. As a result I have 8th graders on the verge of nervous breakdowns, ulcers or both because their parents demand nothing short of perfection. On the flip side I also see parents let everything slide because "he/she's just a child after all".

There is a happy medium to be found. A life where children are taught that hard work and determination pay off, but there should also be time for play and celebration.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Scheisshaus Luck: Surviving the Unspeakable in Auschwitz and Dora

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

February 2011

Monday, January 31, 2011

A Child al Confino

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Sin in the Second City: Madams, Ministers, Playboys and the Battle for America's Soul

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Trans-Sister Radio

A few years ago (maybe more, I'm old) there was a documentary on Discovery about a transgendered doctor in Colorado who performed gender reassignment surgery. As I read Chris Bohjalian's Trans-Sister Radio, I kept reflecting on the documentary.

Chris's story was well-written and extremely thought provoking.  I empathized greatly with the character Allison Banks as I am a teacher.  The thought that my classroom performance could be called into question because of my personal choices or morality infuriates me, especially considering that although Trans-Sister Radio is fiction, situations in which a teacher's personal life has been called into question are not.

Bohjalian's story teaches an important lesson:  love transcends many things, even gender. 

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Still Alice

Monday, January 3, 2011

The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #1)

Saturday, January 1, 2011

January 2011

New Year.  New Title.  New Goals.

2010 was a year plagued with illness!  My father had surgery not once, but twice.  After weeks of recovery, dear old dad seems to be back to normal, but his health was truly touch and go for awhile.

For me, I managed to deal with a stress fracture in my right foot, a broken left elbow and an emergency appendectomy all within a matter of months.  Thankfully, I am also on the mend.

Last year, my goal was to read 100 books.  At year's end I read a total of 125!    So, I'm not going to limit myself to 100 books.  Instead, I'll just read.  Kristin Reads is an appropriate title.

My goal is officially 111 books, but who knows how many I'll read this year!