It's Monday! What are you Reading?

This is a weekly event hosted by Sheila at BookJourney.  Stop on by her great site to join in on the fun!

Last week I read American Born Chinese and A Match Made in High School. Reviews to come on both.

This week I plan on reading...

Stones in Water by Donna Jo Napoli

Girl Coming in for a Landing by April Halprin Wayland

Both of these are part of the IWU Adolescent Literature college course syllabus.  Feel free to join me on reading them all!

Heather

2010 National Book Festival

The 10th annual National Book Festival! 

Organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress

Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010

National Mall in Washington, D.C. 

10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.  

Book Festival participants include:

Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay)

Mem Fox (Koala Lou, Possum Magic, Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes)

Linda Sue Park (A Single Shard, Project Mulberry, The 39 Clues, Book 9: Storm Warning)

Katherine Paterson (Bridge to Terabithia, Jacob Have I Loved, The Great Gilly Hopkins, Park's Quest)

View the entire list of author participants here.  The website says they are still adding new authors.

I attended this wonderful Book Festival in 2005 when I was an English teacher in Northern Virginia.  My co-worker/friend and I listened to Meg Cabot and Sharon Creech give delightful presentations.  Meg Cabot was hysterical.  We were also able to get signatures from Meg Cabot.  (P.S. This was before I read Ready or Not (worst. book. ever.) and when all I knew of her was The Princess Diaries and All-American Girl.)

Meg Cabot signs my book (All-American Girl--one of the funniest books I've read).

Have you been before?  Will you go this year?  I'm soooo excited to hear Suzanne Collins speak!

Heather

Adolescent Literature Course at IWU

I graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University, a Christian school in Marion, Indiana.  While there, I took the course Adolescent Literature with Dr. McCracken.  I loved it!  Throughout the years, I've kept touch with him through emails asking him to send me the titles on his new syllabus.

Here is the list he sent me in the spring. My goal is to finish the list by the end of the summer.

1. A Step from Heaven by An Na
2. Girl Coming in for a Landing by April Halprin Wayland
3. Inexcusable by Chris Lynch
4. Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan
5. Monster by Walter Dean Myers
6. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
7. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
8. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
9. Stones in Water by Donna Jo Napoli
10. True Believer by Virginia Euwer Wolff
11. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
12. The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

If you'd like to join me, feel free!  I love feeling like a college student again!  Instead of reading the book and writing an essay on it, I read the book and write about it on my blog!

The down side is that I miss out on the classroom time with my professor.  I am anxiously awaiting his response to my email asking why he chose some of these books for a course at a Christian university.  A Step from Heaven, True Believer, and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian--all of which I've reviewed on this blog-- are troublesome.
 
Heather

It's Monday What are you Reading?

It's another installment of "It's Monday What are you Reading?" hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.  Thanks Sheila!

I recently finished:
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer.  I had the chance to see the movie with my old roommate from high school while I was visiting her in Ohio, so I saw it before I re-read Eclipse.  Oh well!  The movie was great!  Jacob is so much more likable in the movie than the book. 
If I Stay by Gayle Forman  I will write a review soon on this book.  It's our YA book club selection, and I think it will foster good discussion at our meeting at the end of the month.

What's on my list for this Week:
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang  This is on a class syllabus that I'm reading through.  I'll share that list in an upcoming post.  I picked it up at the library today and was surprised to find it in the Graphic YA novels!  Who knew?  I've never read a graphic novel, so I'm intrigued. 
A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker  I am excited about this book!!!  From what I can tell, it's based on the Shakespeare idea of mistaken identities.  It sounds like a good clean YA book.  I have high hopes!!
Under a Maui Moon by Robin Jones Gunn  I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS BOOK!!!  It's on the way from amazon.com, and I'm biting my nails in anticipation!  Robin Jones Gunn is my favorite author, and this is her new release.  Plus the setting is Maui, a setting she has written about in other books such as Whispers, one of my favorite books.

Heather

Three Cups of Tea- Young Reader's Edition by Greg Mortenson

		This young readers’ edition of the worldwide bestseller Three Cups of Tea has been specially adapted and updated by Greg Mortenson to bring his remarkable story of humanitarianism up-to-date. It includes brand-new photos, maps, and illustrations, as well as a special afterword by Greg’s twelve-year-old daughter, Amira, who has traveled with her father as an advocate for the Pennies for Peace program for children. Taken from penguin.com

I have not read the adult version, so I don't have much to compare.  However, the map, photos, and interview with Greg's daughter are great additions to the book. These will make the story easier to read for younger readers.  I chose the young reader's edition because my friend, Heather, told me a couple years ago that the adult version told a good story but was very political with a lot of Bush-hating.  Like I said, I haven't read it, so I can't vouch for that review, but I can say that the young reader's edition did not fit that bill.

This book kept the focus on what Greg Mortenson is doing in Pakistan and Afghanistan. That being building schools in poor villages to promote learning for the impoverished children, specifically the girls.  It is an inspiring story about how much difference one man can make.  It is also a great story of adventure because it chronicles Greg's real experiences such as getting lost on a mountain and escaping fighting drug lords.

It's a great story for American middle schoolers.  I hope after reading it they gain an appreciation for their American school buildings, education, and opportunities for college.  I did!

True Believer by Virginia Euwer Wolff

Short and sweet review:
A poor high school girl experiences the overtaking emotions of first love, has a fall-out with her best friends over religion, and watches her mom date a new man all while trying to better herself in the attempt to go to college.  It is the second book in the Make Lemonade Trilogy, but it works as a stand-alone novel as well.

Longer review:
A poor high school girl experiences the overtaking emotions of first love, has a fall-out with her best friends over religion, and watches her mom date a new man all while trying to better herself in the attempt to go to college.  It is the second book in the Make Lemonade Trilogy, but it works as a stand-alone novel as well.

Positives: Written in free verse, it is a very fast read.  It is engrossing, and the characters are developed well.  I easily  related to LaVaughn's feelings of her head-over-heals crush on Jody. Which girl can't relate to this strong emotion?  LaVaughn is a forgiving character, and one who values her friendships.  There are a couple of instances when she is rude to her friends, but she comes to them and apologizes.  I liked that a lot.

Negatives: This book shows a distorted view of Christianity. LaVaughn's best girl friends have joined a Christian club to specifically help them keep their virginity.  As the book progresses, the reader learns more and more about the club which amazon.com calls "hyper religious."  LaVaughn (and the author) see the very conservative side of Christianity (eg. They believe in Creation as opposed to evolution) as negative, something that is ruining her friends.  LaVaughn herself does some research on Christianity and makes her own decisions on what it means to be "true believer."  Here's a clue: her decision has nothing to do with accepting the divinity of Jesus Christ.  As a conservative Christian, I strongly disliked this thread of the plot and would not recommend the book to anyone. 

Heather

It's Monday What are you Reading?

It's another installment of "It's Monday What are you Reading?" hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

Last week I read:













Three Cups of Tea, Young Reader's Edition
More Growing Grateful Kids by Susie Larson



This week's plan:

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer (a re-read)  My goal is to get it done before I watch the movie!

More Growing Grateful Kids by Susie Larson  I know it's taking me forever to read this book!  However, it's wonderful!  It is so encouraging and helpful on how to teach my kids compassion, humility, and contentment in the midst of this culture of materialism and entitlement.  Wow. 

 Heather

The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Words that come to mind about this book:

yuck

avoid

blasphemous

Does it have some good things to offer the world?  Yes.  There are good messages of overcoming obstacles and chasing hope when there's none around you.  It also gives a good account of what life on Alexie's reservation was like.  (Don't let the title fool you; it's partly autobiographical.) People should know the hardships that Indians have encountered due to our country's poor treatment of them.  I support youth learning all these lessons, but I cannot support this book because these lessons are mixed in with irreverent and profane statements about the One True God. 

Twilight meets The Hunger Games

How's that for a title?  That was my dream last night!  Edward, Bella, and Jacob were three of the contestants in the next Hunger Games.  And like in the end of the book The Hunger Games, partners were allowed. But in my dream, the players chose their own partners at the beginning.  So Bella had to choose who she wanted for a partner: Edward or Jacob?  (I'm sure reading the article on Eclipse in Entertainment Weekly last night set me up for this dream.)  All the drama!  Who's going to die?  Added vampire and werewolf killing techniques to the arena.  It was so dramatic!!!  Well, Bella chose Jacob as her partner because she had enough faith in Edward to know that he would protect her without being her partner.  So her choice gave her two allies.  Who needs to see Eclipse when you have a dream like that!
Heather

It's Monday What are you Reading?

Sheila hosts It's Monday What are you Reading?

Last week I read True Believer by Virginia Wolff and The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.  I continued reading in Growing Grateful Kids by Susie Larson.  Non-fiction tends to take me longer to read than fiction.  Speaking of non-fiction, I lost my copy of Bringing up Boys!  Aah!  So I guess I'll finish it when I find it!  In regards to The Last Summer (of You and Me), I tried to read it, I did.  I got to page 30, and I gave up.  It was so disappointing compared to the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

This week I plan on finishing Growing Grateful Kids by Susie Larson and reading Three Cups of Tea (The Young Reader's Edition) by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.

Heather

It's Monday What Are You Reading?

It's Monday What are you Reading is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.  This is my first time participating!

What I Read Last Week:

Stuff Christians Like by Jonathan Acuff

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Books for This Week:

True Believer by Virginia Wolff

The Last Summer (of You and Me) by Ann Brashares
(My sister and I are going to read it together.)

Bringing up Boys by Dr. Dobson  (Must finish it!)

Have a great week!

Heather

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Fabulous.

If you haven't read it, go get it today!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I picked it and Catching Fire up from the library to skim and scan as a review before Mockingjay is released. And then I was hooked...again.

Suzanne Collins is doing an amazing job with this series! The suspense is superb. The romance is precious... and confusing. (I don't want to spoil anything for newbies.) This dystopian series is fabulous. You will not be able to stop reading this one. Even the second time around, I was up past midnight twice, unable to put it down. Did I mention I like it???

Connection Time: Have you seen the movie Gladiator? The similarities between that movie and this book are incredible. I read The Hunger Games before I saw Gladiator (I know, I know, it's an old movie), and as I watched the movie, I was shocked as I compared the two "arenas." Wow.