The buzz this morning was all about reading. I can sum it up with one phrase, "I got to the part..." I can't count how many times students said it both to me and their friends.
After a few hectic weekends, I blocked this one out for reading too, completing two books and getting 2/3 through a third.
First off, I finally finished Breadcrumbs by Annie Ursu. Hazel and Jack are best friends, both having a rough go of it, until a seemingly small event changes everything. This adaptation of Hans Cristian Anderson's, The Snow Queen, stays true to its dark nature while keeping completely relevant to the issues facing every modern-day kid. Keep your ear on the distinct rhythm of Ursu's writing. It's as magical as the fairytale. Getting started, this one needs a patient and empathetic reader. Once Hazel sets out to rescue Jack and climbs deeper and deeper into the traditional story, the pacing picks up and every chapter leaves you satisfied yet hungry for more. This one's a story in the true sense of the word. It made me feel like a kid again, listening intently, seeing the world in a new and scary way at each flip of the page. And while it remains dark through and through, it's an honest story. Breadcrumbs is perfect for those readers who appreciates an author that doesn't sugarcoat the world for them.
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When I stopped by my friend's office last week she tossed me a copy of Edgar Allen's Official Crime Investigation Notebook. What a title. This mystery is completely accessible to 3rd grade readers, while at the same time remaining enjoyable for the most proficient 5th grader. It's a quality mystery with all the hallmarks of a good sleuthing story; clues, a nemesis, answers that lead to more questions, and red herrings galore. But above all, once you meet the characters, you'll wish you went to Edgar's school. Told from Edgar's point-of-view, Mary Amato might as well be a 5th grade boy. And it is funny. Which, when you think about it is something that every story involving kids should have; humor. Kids are funny, especially when they're not trying to be. And that's where Amato really nails it. Don't tell the boys this but poetry is a major current running through the book. It's such a good read, they'll hardly even notice.
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Finally, this next one's out in March and I can safely say that it is by far the best non-fiction book I have ever read in my entire existence. Let's face it, kid's interest in the Titanic ranges from fascinated to obsessed. While they're may be a host of books out there for kids about it, none do the event the justice Deborah Hopkinson does in her new release, Titanic: Voices From the Disaster. Rest assured, you're in the hands of a master non-fiction storyteller. Hopkinson weaves together survivors' accounts of the events from that fateful voyage. Hopkinson does a professional job of giving the reader a real sense of the people telling the story. Her talents as a writer transform eye-witnesses into characters. As everyone knows, the only benefit to reading non-fiction is that there are pictures taking up space, meaning you get to read less. And while the story is rife with photographs, maps, and primary source documents, I found myself quickly moving through them to get back to the text.
I'll put a bit more together about this one as soon as I'm finished with it. But even so, pre-order it. You'll find it as fascinating as your kids will.
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Alright, the goal tonight is to finish Titanic and get to the 3/4 mark of Bigger Than A Breadbox. More on that tomorrow!
Until then, enjoy today's Read-A-Thon inspiration video:
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