The Nest

Oppel, K. (2015). The Nest. NY: Simon & Schuster

Although a baby is always a blessing; a baby's arrival doesn't always bring joy. For Steve and his family the arrival of the new baby was not what a family would expect. Not that the baby wasn't wanted or loved, but the baby is born with a condition and his life is in danger. Steve is constantly troubled by this and wishes he could do something. One night he has a dream in which he is given the opportunity to make the baby better, all he has to do is say yes. What does this answer implicate? What is okay? And is saying yes the right answer?

As parents we worry tremendously about our children but we don't really stop and thinking how our children feel about situations that affect the family as the birth of a sickly sibling. It is heartbreaking to think that our children our troubled with our worries. Sad and somehow scary, this experience is something to think about...

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Mirror, Mirror

Singer, M. (2010). Mirror, Mirror. NY: Dutton

Mindblbown. A magnificent array of double poems about the different classic fairy tales. Each tale is told through two different poems told in reverse form. These poems tell us the stories of Cinderalla, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, The Ugly Duckling, Snow White, Jack and the Beanstalk, Goldielocks, Hanzel and Gretel, The Princess and the Frog, Beauty and the Beast. Each poem provides a smart snipplet of the actual fairy tale. Simply amazing!

I can't even begin to explain how fascinated I am with these poems. They are addicting and genious. I absolutely LOVED this! 

A Snippet

Brown Girl Dreaming

Woodson, J. (2014). Brown girl dreaming. NY: Penguin.

It outlines the story of an African American girl who despite her family's background. She is the descendant of former slaves. Jackie gets to experience the segregation first hand and is exposed to both sides wher she is treated differently because of her skin color, and is also given considerations by other white people who were more humane. Her and her siblings often visit their grandparents from where they acquire many beautiful memories and connects them more with their background. Despite her "color" Jackie is abble to pursue her dream of becoming a writher becuase she receives the encouragement that she needs to not give up on her dream.

Again, we know the historical facts of the time period, the important people that took a stand and so forth, however we rarely see the life of those "regular" people who have to endure the life imposed on them because of their skin color. Accounts such as this make us realize exactly what it was like for colored people during this time.

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The Three Pigs

Wiesner, D. (2001). The three pigs. NY: Clarion.

It starts off as the traditional story of the three little pigs, however, it takes a turn where the little pigs think and think and think some more and decide why their destiny is written for them. So they go on a quest to find a safer place. In their quest they venture off into another story in which a prince is off on a mission to kill a dragon. Well the three little pigs are there to save the day! They go and rescue the dragon by taking him with them. Neat-o! So they are thinking of where they can go, and they think and they think, and they think some more and decide to go back to their story where the big bad wolf is trying to blow down their house. And so he blows and he blows and he blows some more and instead of blowing the house down, he's greeted by their new best friend they just rescued...and needless to say, they lived happily ever after!

What I thought was going to be the fairy tale I have known since I was four, turned into an adventure where the three little pigs defy the norm and create their own ending. This is a great way to teach our children that we can aspire for more. Nothing is predestined and we can challenge what we believe to be our destiny. Loved it!

Read Aloud

Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade

Sweet, M. (2011). Balloons over Broadway: The true story of the puppeteer of Macy's parade. NY: Houghton.

Every little movement has a meaning of its own.

This is the story of the greatness of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. Tony was always smart and creative. As a child he created an artifact that would allow him to feed his dad's chickens without him having to get out of bed. From there, he started making his very own marionnettes when he realized that they weren't been made anymore. When he moved to New York he was givena greater chance. To decorate the Macy's display window. From there the project grew and grew and based on his plans and trials and errors he created the magnificence of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parades we enjoy today.

This is a truly inspiring tale of how out of nothing, greatness can be accomplished. This is the perfect tale of trial and error that will teach children that everything we create, as magnificent as it may appear, will always have room for improvement. Just as Tony never gave up, this will teach children to keep trying to perfect their projects because there will always be room for improvement.

Read Aloud

It's a Book

Smith, L. (2011). It’s a book. NY: Roaring Brook

Perhaps a bit of a parody about children and their obsession with electronic device. We havae a jackass and a monkey. The monkey is reading a book and the jackass has no idea what a book is, what it does, or hwo it works. Will he be tempted to "test" out the book to see if he likes it?

It saddens me to think that this is not far from a reality. I saw a child once trying to swipe a magazine at the doctor's office. I am not lying or exxagerating. Crazy, huh? But it's the reality of the world in which we live in. Technology is controlling society and warping the mind of our youth. Should books become obsolete? Then let's raise some awareness!

Read Aloud

Where the Wild Things Are

Sendak, M. (1963). Where the wild things are. NY: HarperCollins.

A fantasy world is created by a boy named Max wearing a wolf costume who is sent off to bed without dinner. So his bedroom that has turned into a jungle and goes to that very special place where all the wild things are. And he becomes their friend, and he becomes their king and when it's time to come back to bed, he sails away and finds his very own hot meal.

I feel bad saying this but I've never really liked this book. I try and as much as I try to find a significant meaning to it, I don't. I see a child who wreaks havoc and is reprimanded and the punishment set forth for him is not executed the way it was. Granged, I don't believe in sending children to bed with an empty stomach, I do believe that as parents we must follow through with the consequences that we set for our children.

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Wonderstruck

Selznick, B. (2001). Wonderstruck NY: Scholastic.

Ben loses his mother in a car accident and is forced to move in with his aunt and uncle. He was born deaf in one ear and one day while he is trying to communicate with his long-lost father, he loses hearing in the other ear. He runs and makes his way to the American Museum of Art History in New York City. Fifty years earlier, Rose runs away from home to go to go searching for her favorite actor, who we later find out was her mother. The story fastforwards and we realize that Ben and Rose have more in common that we can possibly imagine. Different and artisitc might seem to be confusing at first but everything falls into place.

Beautiful artwork and an enthralling story guarantees that you will not be able to put the book down. The connections that the reader makes as we read leave us wanting to discover more and more and leave us wondering just how much the world is connected.

Wonderstruck

Good Masters, Sweet Ladies

Schlitz, L. A. (2007). Good masters, sweet ladies Boston, MA: Candlewick Press.

A collection of twenty two viagnetes that outline the lives of 22 differet characters told in monologue form in which they share their roles and a little bit of their lives. Each independent character plays an important role to society and we learn that based on their descsriptions. We also learn about their personalities, worries an likes. We have Thomas, who is the doctor's son and is naturally expected to follow his footsteps. We have Mogg whose father died and now there's an expectation she must meet. And the list goes on...

This reminded me of Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, obviously not the same caliber, but the general idea is somehow the same. Each monologue reveals a different character and a different set of personalities and likes and dislikes. Entertaining an informational it gives us an insight of what took place during the time period.

Trailer

Bridge to Terabithia

Paterson, K. (1972). Bridge to Terabithia. NY: Crown.

Being a kid is difficult. Jess knows that. He tries to fit in and to be accepted but kids can be cruel. His only hope is to be the fastest boy in the fifth grade. That will surely make him cool. Well Leslie proves to him that he will not be the fastest, what's even worse is that a girl beat him! However, Jess finds in Leslie the best friend he's been yearning for. Leslie introduces to Jess a NEW Jess. Someone who becomes less and less afraid to open up. Their connection grows into the most beautiful friendship that helps Jess find himself. Together they become part of their imaginary world, Terabithia where they learn so much more about themselves while they grow closer together. Everything goes well until something happens to Leslie when Jess is out on a school trip with Miss Edmunds. Will Jess ever be normal again? Will he remain the new Jess or will he go back to be the old Jess. Filled with fantasy and good feelings, this novel is sure to capture your heart.

It filled me with hope and then it took it away, and then it brought it back. Heartwarming and heartbreaking at at the same time. It teaches kids to deal with death, a subject that sometimes we try to stay away from.

Book Trailer

We are the Ship

Nelson, K. (2008). We are the ship NY: Hyperion

The history behind African Americans in the great game of baseball. First Inning. Many white players refused to play alongside Negroes. Team owners went as far as eliminating them from their teams. These players were forced to play in their own "Negro" leagues. Second Inning. "Negro baseball was fast! Flashy! Daring!" They were not afraid to play and did whatever it took to win. Third Inning. They took any chance they took to play because they didn't have that many opportunities but they were united and worked well together. Fifth Inning. The market crash was a huge hit to baseball. It was hard to stay afloat. Fifth Inning. The greatest baseball players in the world were Negro All-STARS. Despite the limitations of their exposure to playing ball, the best of the best were ALL-STARS. Sixth Inning. Latin America is responsible for some of the greatest baseball player to play in this country. Seventh Inning. When the Negro Leagues played the White Leagues, well let's say the White Leagues weren't known for their Sportsmanship Conduct where they would go as far as even freezing the balls so that they wouldn't travel far upon being hit. Not nice, huh? Eight Inning. Wartime heroes who were drafted continued to play ball in the service. There was nothing that was going to stop their love for the sport. Ninth Inning. Then along came Jackie Robinson and his perserverance earned him a spot in a White League Team...Extra Innings. The end of the Negro Leagues...and the rest was history.

Everyone is aware of the situation with seperate but not equal, segregation, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr. etc. How many people actually know much about other things that took place during this time, I for instance, did not even consider what the situation was with athleletes during this time. Although I'm not necessarily a baseball fan, I found thiss book quite interesting.

The Story

Rules

Lord, C. (2008). Rules. NY: Scholastic.

Catherine is a typical twelve year old. Her brother David is not a typical eight year old. The story starts off with Catherine babysitting her brother David who needs to have a specific set of rules for pretty much anything. Not because he is a trouble kid, or because he is spoiled, but because he is Autistic and he need things explained to him a certain way. Catherine is excited to meet her new neighbor because she needs a friend but when she finally meets Kristi is disappointed that her brother doesn't make a good impression. Living with a special needs brother is not easy for Catherine, and although some may view her "concerns" as selfish, one can only sympathize for her situation. She isn't selfish or unsympathetic, she is just a young girl trying her best to cope with her situation while making her brother comfortable. When she gets close to her friend Jason, she experiences the same dilemma. Will she continue to care what other people will think of her for having a disabled brother and a disabled friend? Sometimes you've gotta work with what you've got...

My niece was diagnosed with Autism when she was four years old. I understand Catherine because as much as I love Jazmin, and as much as I want to protect her from everything, we can't control other people's reactions towards her. She will be 20 years old in February and is currently a college student. Yes, we are incredibly proud of her accomplishment. He graduated in 2015 with Honors and passed her STAAR tests the first time she took them. And we are talking about a girl who didn't start talking until she was in third grade. Wow! Right? Jazmin was my student her senior year and it was 

difficult for me because well, Jazmin tends to say what is on her mind, she has absolutely NO filter, and although I understand this, and her bluntness does not affect me, it sometimes affected those around her. I believe that this lack of sympathy from others is due to ignorance. Our society is an uneducated, selfish society where a great amount of people are heartless and are so unthoughtful. What mattered to me is that Jazmin was a happy kid and she did great in school becaue of her hardwork. So who's to say her disability hindered her success? People with conditions or disabilities can be just as successful as those without...we just have to be open minded and okay with that.

Book Trailer

Skulduggery Pleasant

Landry, D. (2007). Skulduggery Pleasant NY: HarperCollins

Fantasy. Mystery. Excitement. Stephanie Edgley doesn't know that her dead, novelist uncle left her much more than a villa in France, all of his remaining estate, the royalties on his best-selling books, and a mansion filled with his possessions. Gordon Edgley leaves her a world of mystery, secrets, and a lot of suspense. When her own life is threatened by an indivudal searching for a key, Stephanie has no choice but to accept the help of Skulduggery Pleasant, who much to her surprise resembles his name in more ways than one. Stephanie is drawn in to investigate her uncle's murder and to find the hidden mystery of his findings. Filled with suspense and unthought of findings, this novel will have you biting your nails. At the end, Stephanie is left witht he option, should she allow herself to be fully submerged into this new world she has discovered or will she keep herself safe?

I must confess, I was not entirely sold on the idea of this novel but once I picked it up, I could not put it down. And yes, if you're wondering, my shopping list for myself to myself for Christmas has changed a bit of direction. I. Must. Read. More.

Review

Interview with Skulduggery

This is Not My Hat

Klassen, J. (2012). This is not my hat. Boston, MA: Candlewick


A fish takes a hat. He knows it is not his. He takes it anyway. And he plans to never give it back. Why should he? He knows it's wrong but he's sure he'll never be found. Whether you get caught or not, stealing is stealing and it is most definitely wrong. This small fish commits a crime. Yes, stealing is a crime. And there are consequences to stealing a hat. This little fish is about to find out just what the consequences to his crime are.

Simple and to the point. The reason why kids do things they are not supposed to is becuase we place big taboos on the stuff that happens around us. I stole money from my dad once. I didn't mean to. I didn't see it as stealing. He always gave me money when I asked him for it, the only difference this time is that I needed money and he was asleep. So I opened his wallet and took it. Never had I been so embarrassed in my life. My mom found out and she made me tell my dad what I had done and apologize. I was disappointed in myself when I realized what I had done and especially more so when I realized just how disappointed my parents were in me. Now as a parent, I believe they were acting more disappointed than they might have been because children are children and they learn through mistakes. But just because we are not aware of certain things, it does not mean we should know learn about them. My son took money from me to give to my mom becuase he wanted to give her a gift. Sweet, huh? Well, yes, but he still got in trouble for taking money that did not belong to him. This is what needs to be addressed, and this book is the bet way to do it!

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It's So Amazing

Harris, R. (1999). It’s so amazing. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press.

Hilariously accurate! How does a parent explain to their children while of a sudden Mommy's tummy is growing rounder and rounder? How does a parent explain to a child how did he get out of the Mommy's belly. Because as simple as the stories of the birds and the bees and the eggs and the sees are still a chaotic mess in your children's mind, perhaps this will help you explain where it is that baby's come from...As uncomfortable as these topics may be for parents, they have to be addressed and this book provides detailed, PROPER explanations that can be shared with children.

Where was this book when I was pregnant with my second child? Granted it was already around...no joke! I didn't know about it. I suppose I lucked out and my son was not too inquisitive, but I have always prided myself in talking to my kids with the truth and should either of them ask for details, I can just pull this out of my bookshelf and explain! Ha!

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Rapunzel's Revenge

t

Hale, S. (2008). Rapunzel’s revenge. NY: Bloomsbury.

The happily ever after coming from this story is different from the happily ever after from the original story, but yet it is much more empowering. Wheras in Rapunzel's mother was just, you know, a typical evil kidnapping mother, here there's so much more that she is responsible for. Witty and funny, Rapunzel's Revenge takes on a different direction of adventure for after escaping from the very tall tower, she takes it upon herself, of course with also the help of her faithful companion, to undo a lot of the harm cauased by her evil "mother."

My son read this after I finished with it, or at least I think he got through most of it. I expcted him to lose interest but was pleasantly surprised to see him with the book for a couple of days. He hesitated at first because, well you know, fairy tales are for girls, but was quickly drawn in by the adventures taken on by Rapunzel. He also enjoyed the graphics. "Mom! It's like I'm reading a comic book!!!" nd whether he felt fairy tales are for girls or not, he enjoyed it.

Book Trailer

Rosa

Giovanni, N. (2005). Rosa. NY: Holt

Every child in America has heard the story of Rosa Parks. However, what is learned on this book is not learned on a history book. The history book didn't tell us that her mother had been ill, that she was an exceptional, hard worker, that she wantd to get home early to surpirse her husband with her favorite meal. History books don't tell us how respected and appreciated Rosa Parks was by the people. Different perspective, different view. It still doesn't change her act of bravery and the consequences of her actions, still, it shows us the more human side to Mrs. Rosa Parks.

I remember the day my son came came home from school telling me what he had learned about Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks. He was a first grader and he was fascinated. When I read this book to him, he was even more touched by the situation. Sometimes it's best to learn about history in story form and it gives children a more personal perspective of the events.

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George

Gino, A. (2015). George. NY: Scholastic

Perhaps a bit of controversy is needed to address a serious topic that many wan to turn their back on. George is an 11 year old girl trapped in boy's body. Everyday she fights to keep her secret because society has taught her that certain things are not okay. Her fourth grade class is going to showcase Charlotte's Webb  and Goerge is dying to play the role of Charlotte. This is not taken seriously into consideration by his teacher. Kelly, who is George's best friend plays an important role. When George tells her the situation, Kelly wants to find a way to make George's dream a reality. Through heartache, an worry, an anger of the unfairness of it all, this novel is more than what one can bargain for. Will George get his way, well her way? Will people understand? Will his mother?

Unfortunately there are a lot of narrowminded people in this world. I personally have nothing against homosexuality, transgender, etc. As a mother, I can honestly say that whatever my children's sexual preferences, I will be there for them 100%. The only heartbreaking thing is to even think they might suffer due to society's views. If my children are happy, then I will be happy too. Reading this broke my heart a little...only to think that innocent people are looked down upon. We definitely need to be more accepting.

Interview with Alex Gino

Book Trailer

The Graveyard Book

Gaiman, N. (2008). The graveyard book. NY: HarperCollins. (may read GN version)


Murder. Ghosts. Special powers. Unfinished Business. Broken Relationships. You name it, this book has it all. Nobody Owens is not the typical boy growing up. By chance his life is spared when his entire family was murdered. He makes his way to a graveyard where the ghosts residing there decide to raise him. Needless to say, growing up was not an ordinary thing for Bod and in living with ghosts he picks up a trick or two. Despite the fact that he is being brought up by ghosts, he is well taken care of and is even able to find a friend. When his family's murderer comes into the picture again, his ghost family does everything within their power to protect him. What will be the cost though? Will he ever have a normal life? What will happen to his friend Scarlet?

At first, I thought this book was a bit creepy. Murder? Ghosts? But as I continued to read I found it to be a charming tale of an orphan boy who is definitely loved by his new family and this new family would do anything to protect him. And despite the fact that he was "different" from the other kids, he still, within his surroundings, had a pretty "normal" life growing up. The ending made me a bit sad but also hopeful, hopeful for a new beginning where we know that he was not going to be in danger anymore.

Book Trailer

The Graveyard Book- Neil Gaiman

Out of My Mind

Draper, S. (2010). Out of my mind. NY: Atheneum.

This is Melody's story about her will to live life as best as she possibly could within her limitations. Melody is determined to let the world know that she is not "stupid," that she is capable of functioning in a regular classroom just as well as any other "normal" kid. Her disability is a great one, but her disability was only physical. Her mind is sharp and photographic even. Having to fight the limited expectations society, and even those of her education system, had of her proved to be a difficult task. Being granted the opportunity to communicate was a starting point for change and success, unfortunately, she had to fight much more than that. She had to fight the low expectations people still had of her. Watching from her chair how worried her parents were thinking of the possibility of their second child being disabled was agonizing, even more so knowing she couldn't keep her little sister out of danger. One can only wonder the greatness Melody could have accomplished if she had been born with no disability. Heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time, this story is an eye opener about how mean our society can be.

Indeed this society we live in is not a nice one. As parents we pray for our children's health and well being and unfortunately, we don't always get that. And just because we don't get our wish, it doesn't mean that we aren't blessed to still have our little joys share our lives with us. My niece, who will be 20 in February was diagnosed with Autism when she was four. As heartbreaking as this was to my family, especially my sister, they did not give up hope. She didn't start talking until she was in third grade, and she really didn't start writing until much later. Her Autism was bad. Really bad. But you know, her parents didn't give up on her and she graduated in 2015 with Honors. And you know what's even greater? She is attending college. Obviously the disabilities are different, but the point here is that we must NEVER give up on our children. You never know what is underneath the struggles...

Book Trailer

Audio Book

The Legend of the Blue Bonnet

dePaola, T. (1983). The legend of the bluebonnet. NY: Putnam


The Comanche implored to the Great Spirits. Their people were dying. Please end this drought that's killing the land, killing our people. And to their surprise, the Great Spirits responded. People have become selfish. People must sacrifice something to the earth as well. Everyone was willing to dance, but not everyone was willing to make a sacrifice. Only She-Who-Is-Alone was willing to make the greatest sacrifice, burn her doll, the only thing she had left from her family, who had all been victims to the famine brought on by the drought. It only took one selfless act for the Great Spirits to lift the punishment from the Comanche. The ashes and the rain brought upon a most beautiful surprise that because of the selfless act of one young girl, the entire people were able to enjoy.

One word describes this story, beautiful! It teaches about selfless acts, how really it does only take one good, selfless person, to save many and points out how people should be more giving and it serves as an excellent example for young kids. Sometimes bad things happen because people do bad things. Even if we don't do anything to directly hurt another human being, our actions are not necessarily kind. If we want change, we must change those things first.

Book Trailer

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Last Stop on Market Street

De la Pena, M. (2015). Last stop on market street. NY: Penguin

What do a grandson and a Nana have in common? Perhaps absolutely nothing...at first sight, that is! When CJ rides the bus with Nana every Sunday from the church to the market, and although it's not one of his favorite things to do, we see a child becoming of age in the sense that within this one particular bus ride, he begins to undertand the importance of this experience of sharing a bus seat with his Nana. He is full of questions and the answers that Nana provides for him are so thought provoking. How come we gotta wait for the bus in all this wet? And the typical answer would probably be something like,"because it's raining and we can't control it," but instead she responds with, "Trees get thirsty, too. Don't you see that big one drinking through a straw?" Her response to his question about the blind man and her implication that he is lucky to get to experience this every sunday finally sink in. Beautifully written and so thought provoking, this is definitely a book you don't want to miss out on.

I think of my son with my dad. My dad and my son go everywhere together and his teacher is always telling me that she loves all the stories he has to share about his grandpa and that just warms my heart. See, I never met my grandmothers and my grandfathers both died when I was one so I never got to experience this. Knowing that my son will have all these memories to cherish when he is older warms my heat.

Book Trailer

Read Aloud

The Watsons Go to Birmingham

C. P. (1995). The Watsons go to Birmingham, 1963. NY: Delacorte.


As dysfunctional as the Watsons seem to be, they are probably as normal as they come. Right? We have the black sheep, Byron, or as Kenny describes him, the juvenile delinquent, we have the normal kid, Kenny, who gets picked on but is a good boy, Joey, the adorable little girl who is too cute to resist, and of course the parents, the typical momma, and the light humored dad. While Byron is always getting in trouble, the parents try to set him staight and perhaps finally accomplish the task when they visit Grandma. A series of events take place that seem to be changing Byron for the better and leave Kenny feeling trouble and somehow traumatized. The connection made to the bombing in Birmingham adds a serious touch to the nature of the novel. The events lead the boys to display the love and care they have for each other and are able to continue living a "normal" life...

Easy read and with a little of everything, there's a thumbs up for The Watsons Go to Birmingham. I have taught "The Ballad of Birmingham" in my eleventh grade class, I feel that I can use excerpts from this novel to make connections and perhaps pair up the units to produce open ended questions in preparation for STAAR.
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Audio By Chapters

Dear Mr. Henshaw

Cleary, B. (1983). Dear Mr. Henshaw. NY: Morrow.

Never in his life did Leigh Botts think that by writing to his favorite author he would be finding a friend. Unbelievable, huh? And so cool! In writing back and forth to Mr. Henshaw, Leigh finds a confidente. He is a troubled young boy who without realizing it, needs someone to bring him comfort. In suggesting solutions to his dilemmas, and giving him advice from time to time, Mr. Henshaw makes Leigh realize he has a new friend. His parents divorce, his ackward relationship with his father, being new in school gives Leigh a little bit of all the worse things that can happen to a kid his age. Lucky for him, he is not alone in this, and even though Mr. Henshaw is just a pen pal, he finds a true friend in him.

I was about eleven or twelve the summer I read Dear Mr. Henshaw the first time and quite frankly I didn't understand much from it. During that time I was still struggling to learn the language and I was not very fluent. When I saw the opportunity to read it again, I was eager to finally understand what it was about! It was the first one I picked up from the stack of books from the list. And I absolutely loved it. It gave me a feeling of melancholy but in a good way. I guess I saw a lot of my students in little Leigh. Heartbreak and hope at its best...

Dear Mr. Henshaw Book Trailer

How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous by Georgia Bragg

 Bragg, G., & O'Malley, K. (2011). How they croaked: The awful ends of the awfully famous. New York: Walker &.

Wow!

I would have to say that a very disturbing account was King Tut's story. Maybe because it was the first chapter and I wasn't quite sure what to expect...Maybe? But everything that his remains were put through was a major invasion of privacy. The fact that people just kept opening his tomb and pretty much experimenting with it was just wrong. However the accounts, as gruesome and grotesque as some were, were all intersting! Another thing I truly enjoyed were the fun facts after each gruesome tale of how they "croaked."

This is too much to absorb. Disturbing to say the least, but as the introduction says it, "Who can tear their eyes from a train wreck?"  I did have to take a few breaks, quite a few breaks actually, while reading it because it was too much to swallow. I felt like a woos actually. Yup! Definitely disturbing.

As I read most of it, my husband was sitting next to me. I kept putting the book down every so often, he'd just look at me and grin. One of the times he asked me, "What?" I said, "This is pretty disturbing." He laughed and responded, "What did you expect? It's a book about how people died." Well, he had a point.

                                                           

How They Croaked Trailer

El Deafo by Cece Bell

 Bell, C., & Lasky, D. (2014). El Deafo. New York, NY: Amulet Books.

This is the first graphic novel that I read and I must say, I enjoyed it.

I'm an English teacher and on the first week of school, which was last week, I had my seniors write an essay on education and how an experience they've has had made them realize the importance of education. As they wrote, a student asked for help. So I came over to her desk and read the two paragraphs that she had written. It turns out that she started her essay expressing how when she started school she was aware that she was different than the rest of her classmates. She felt self conscious and hated being different. She tried to hide this and that she dreaded anyone noticing. Intrigued, huh? Yeah, me too!

As it turned out, she had a hearing disability and has, up to this point, had to wear hearing aids. Although there were no chords coming from her ears to a box hanging around her chest, she felt the need to hide her ears behind her long hair. She talked about how much she hated them and even wished they would get lost, or stolen, or that they would be crushed under a heavy object so that she would not have to wear them again. Her hatred for her hearing aids went on for years until one day she realized how silly she had been for hating something that helped her so much. This story warmed my heart and sympathized for her immediately. And then yesterday, I pick up El Deafo and immediately think of Justice and her story. Cece and Justice were alike in so many ways.

A few years back, in 2011, I had a student, this time a boy. And he also wore a device just like Cece did, and I too, had to wear a microphone during class so that he could hear me. Unfortunately, this experience was a rather negative one for me, not because I minded, on the contrary, I was glad to help him. In this case, after reading this novel, I feel as though this young boy never overcame the stage where he saw this apparatus as an enemy. He liked working independently and would even turn off the device so that he wouldn't hear me, or he would tell me that it broke down, and then I would see another teacher wearing the microphone. I wished then, and I wish now, that I could have done more to help him, but this boy never allowed me the opportunity to reach out to him.

Cece's story is heartbreaking. As a parent, one of my greatest fears is for something to   happen to my children. From a healthy girl, in the blink of an eye, it all changed. Fortunately, the only consequence of her disease was hearing loss. It could have been worse. Many times we take things for granted, our health, our healthy children, the abilities we have that help us carry on through life with no setbacks.

In the case of Cece, it is endearing to see how with the help of her phonic ear she felt like a super hero, just because with it she had the ability to hear. So what anyone who can hear takes for granted, she cherished dearly. Of course, being that she was young, and at that age you want to fit in, she hated that it made her difference from the rest, but without realizing it, she was grateful for the ability of hearing.

When tragedy struck, yes, tragedy, she was devastated at the fact that she no longer had her phonic ear. She was even more devastated to know that she was going to have to do without it for a few weeks. And this reminded me of my Nathan, my 9 year old son. He wears glasses with a pretty high prescription. Last May he lost a lens at school that we never found. Naturally, I had it replaced immediately but he went a good two weeks, almost three without his glasses. One morning he came up to me with a cheery voice and said, "Momma, I can almost see as well as I do with my glasses." My poor baby was already adjusting to seeing without his glasses. It broke my heart.

When Cece went four weeks and three days without her device, she learned to appreciate how great it was. She learned that it was something she needed in her life, and learned to accept it. So when she finally received it, she walks with pride in front of the class to give her teacher her microphone.

When we think about why she felt as self conscious as she did of wearing this device, we can wonder what her reason was. Naturally, humans can be inconsiderate and lack compassion. For instance, when Coach Potts breaks her microphone, the best he can do is utter a "whoopsie" or when her classmates ask, "Oh you're the deaf kid?"

We need to be more accepting. We need to learn to be more human. In the end, Cece was successful at overcoming her hatred for her situation, for the device that helped her, but it took her years to be able to do that. She had to hide behind a secret imaginative identity in order for her to be okay with her disability. And the question is why are we forced to do such things? Everyone should feel like a super hero, whether we are or not. As simple as that.

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Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate

 Applegate, K. (2015). Crenshaw. New York: Feiwel and Friends. 

As I navigated my Facebook about a year ago, I came across the image below and I immediately shared it because you it reminded me of my childhood. You see, my childhood was a happy one. I may not have had everything I wanted, but I sure had everything that I needed. I never knew my parents struggled to make ends meet.

My dad was a teacher in Mexico and so because he had a good career one would have never thought they ever struggled. One of the stories they have shared with us was that when my two older brothers were little, my dad had to pawn his watch because they needed to buy milk for my two brothers. And the sad part is that he was never able to get it back. My senior year in high school, I distinctly remember that my mom, dad, and I were home alone on Thanksgiving Day and instead of a traditional meal we were going to have to settle for potatoes and tortillas. My dad owned a junk yard and it so happened that that afternoon a couple of teenagers stopped by the house asking my dad if the windshield on the car hooked to his tow truck outside our house was for sale. He got $40 for it, mind you he could have gotten at least $300 for it but he was desperate. By dinner time, he had already bought the necessary ingredients to make a better meal.

But you know what? Despite all this, they never troubled us with their worries. They never hinted frustration. They let us be kids.

So when Jackson's parents tried their hardest to keep their struggles from him and Robin, I totally understood. I have two children of my own, Nathan who is 9 and Logan is 4, and it would pain me greatly to bring my adult nonsense to them. I can't even begin to imagine the hurt and frustration his parents felt at knowing their children went to bed hungry and that they had to "trick" themselves into believing that they were not hungry. Heartbreaking, isn't it?

It is truly heartbreaking to see how worried Jackson was throughout. Although he was so mature for his age, he was still scared, actually terrified of the unknown. And who can blame him? Putting myself in the shoes of his parents, I feel as though I would have done exactly the same. I would have tried protecting my children from the cruelty of the situation. And even though Jackson resented them for doing so, he understood their reasons. In the end it turned out that even Robin was trying to protect her brother by tricking him into thinking the purple jelly beans were magic.

All this is heartwarming. His parents protected him and Robin from the crudeness of their reality. He protected Robin from the worries he was experiencing. And Robin in a way protected him as well, or at least attempted to protect him by bringing him some sort of wonder with the mystery of the purple jelly beans.

Now the question of Crenshaw's appearance is what intrigued me throughout. Quite frankly, I never had an imaginary friend. I have always found the possibility strange, maybe even a little crazy. But who am I to say anything if I never had one?  I found the idea that as Crenshaw declared so himself, he was there because Jackson needed him, so sweet. In Jackson's case, because he relied so heavily on facts, and because he hated lying, he kept his troubles to himself and was unable to share his fears with anybody. The first time around, the first time his parents lost their house, Robin was way too little for him to talk to. And that's precisely the time in which Crenshaw appeared for the first time. The second time around, he did precisely what his parents did to him, he kept the facts from Robin so that she would not worry. The only other person who he could have trusted, he refused to speak to about the problem because naturally he was ashamed of telling her. We find in the end that the truth set him free. He was afraid of revealing the agony of his life's troubles to Marisol, which of course is understandable. So because again, he needed someone, Crenshaw made a second appearance.

Crenshaw is the tale about a family who struggled but even within their hardships, they never lose sight of what a family is and that despite these hardships, one must never lose hope that things will sort themselves out, even if it takes time, things will surely get better.

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Crossover by Kwame Alexander

 Alexander, K. (2014). The crossover. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

So without looking at he book jacket, I skipped through the book and thought, "Great! Poetry! Well, let me tell confess that I don't necessarily love it. I don't hate it, but I could definitely do without it. Yes, I'm an English teacher, yes, I teach poetry, but rest assured because when I teach those sonnets to my students, I own them! And yes, I am able to make my students believe that I absolutely LOVE it with a passion. So when I read the reviews on the back of the book, I was intrigued.

So here it is.

Heartbreaking. Simply HEARTBREAKING!

My favorite parts of the book were the ten basketball rules that can be applied to everyday life and the vocabulary lessons. Ohhhh, I LOVED those vocabulary lessons. And as soon as my children are old enough for the content, not that it's inappropriate but they're 4 and 9, I will have them read it. Or I might even read it to them.

Beware. Spoiler Alerts.

Rule #1 In this game of life your family is the court and the ball is your heart...always leave your heart on the court. 

For some, finding our passion, finding the one thing that drives us to success doesn't take much effort. Sometimes we are born with a talent and we really don't have to do much to excel. Others sometimes have to fight for what they love, to get better at it, to get recognized as great in its practice. One thing I have found out about myself is that I love writing and although I recognize I'm not the best writer in the world, it comes easy to me. I can write for days and never run out of things to say. However, that's not my only passion. I run. I do CrossFit. I run for days and I spend my evenings lifting "heavy" because I love it. Truth of the matter is that I run as slow as a turtle, and I am probably the weakest veteran at my box. But you know what? I live my heart on the pavement and the box floor. With calloused feet, missing toenails, worn out knee cartilage I still hit the pavement, and just because I'm not hitting it as gracefully and swiftly as the cross country high school kids that run our city, I'm doing it with the passion that drives my heart. With my calloused hands, bruised shins, bruised collar bone, sore muscles, I show up to my CrossFit box, ready to give it my best, even if my best doesn't remotely resemble anybody else's best.

The passion that Josh "Filthy McNasty" Bell and his brother Jordan is strengthened by their talent and the bond they share. Reading the way they work together, the way they share the same passion, the way they live for each other, like the good siblings they are is truly endearing.  As in it's sweet to see two teenage brothers be so open about their love for each other. As in it's so cute that two boys are not ashamed to show the world it's okay to be friends with your twin brother. As in I wish my boys will be open about their love for each other just like Josh and Jordan were.

Rule #2 Work smart. Live smarter. Play hard. Practice harder.

So when Josh tries his best and keeps working for what he loves the most he expects his brother to do the same. Not that his brother neglected their commitment to basketball, but he had other thoughts in his head. And of course every teenage story isn't a teenage story without the presence of the opposite sex, the pink sneaker wearing Miss Sweet Tea. Obviously that spelled trouble, as in Jordan has lost his head, as in Jordan has other priorities, as in Josh is a little bit jealous, as in the perfect sibling relationship was soon to end. Can he be crucified for being slightly sidetracked by a girl? Well this was completely unacceptable in Filthy McNasty's eyes.

At first I feared that Alexis would be a player or that Josh would be interested in her romantically as well, but I was relieved to realize that more than anything his yearning was for the love and affection of a girl, any girl, not necessarily Miss Sweet Tea.

What I questioned as I read was, Did Josh feel as though his brother wasn't working smart, living smarter, playing hard, practicing harder. And although we may have suspected the father's downfall, it wasn't quite clear at the time that Chuck's live smarter was ironic, since, well you know...

Rule #3 Never let anyone spoil your goals. Others' expectations of you are determined by their limitations of life.

The questions here is, Did Josh allow the presence of Reebok Wearing Girl to spoil HIS dreams? And most importantly, Did the expectations he had of his brother reflect his own limitations of life? Huh? My point is, his sole focus, his sole purpose in life, up to the arrival of Pink Reebok Wearing Girl to their life, was his love for the game. When his brother's priorities took another route, his own were warped too in the sense that instead of focusing on his own actions, what he had to continue doing to be successful, he kept focusing on how his brother's change warped him. Warped as in caused him to act wrongfully. As in making him an entire different person because of the mixed emotions of jealousy and sense of inadequacy running through him. As in him distorting the reality of life and his brother's new found interest in girl and turning it into a bad thing.

Rule #4 If you miss enough of live's free throws you will pay in the end. 

So as I read the section following Rule #4 I kept focusing on the literal meaning of this quote, which consisted on Josh missing free throws and to certain extent being tired of practicing them. However, after reviewing the content I made a connection, which I am aware, could be totally erroneous, but here it is. Chuck "Da Man" Bell had opportunity after opportunity to see a doctor because of all the tell-tell signs that hinted that he was in trouble and the tell-tell signs that showed that Josh's discomfort with the relationship between his brother and Alexis.

These both were serious matters that should not have been ignored. Serious as in an action needs to be taken. As in if it's ignored things will get out of control. As in if we wait too long, it will be too late.

Rule #5 When you stop playing your game you've already lost. 

Again, Josh was found guilty of breaking his father's rules the second he lost track of his personal purpose the second he started feeling jealous and/or annoyed with his brother's skills and his "showing off" to Alexis. Sibling rivalry was unknown to the Bell brothers. And quite frankly I do not believe they ever experienced it. The rivalry wasn't between Josh and Jordan, it was between Josh and Alexis. Secretly, that is. And although Josh played along and helped Jordan with his phone call and all, he was silently fighting a battle, he was fighting a battle against Pink Reebok Wearing Girl that no one knew about. This rivalry would be the beginning of an awful battle. Rivalry as in I hate anything and anyone associated with this person. As in I don't care that he is my own brother, I'm so mad at him for being with her. As in I can't control my emotions and I will snap. Bad..

Rule #6 A great team has a good scorer with a teammate who's on point and ready to assist.

Unless he has reached the tipping point of a silent rivalry he has fed with his dislike of his brother's sweetheart. The second that Josh let his frustration over Jordan's new object of his affection, he stopped being the teammate who was on point and ready to assist. In allowing his inner demons inside the court that day, he became the enemy. Enemy as in the person who would bring the team down with his enemy. As in I'm not working for my team, but against it. As in I hate my brother right now because he's neglecting me. As in I'm gonna make him pay for making me feel like this.

Rule #7 Rebounding is the art of anticipating, of always being prepared to grab it. but you can't drop the ball. 

Unless you drop the ball because of your inability to separate your emotions from your performance in the court. Or unless your inability to do what you were supposed to do keeps you from being there to help in the first place. Although he immediately regrets his actions, it is too late for him to take it back. In fact, once you cross a certain line there's not much you can do to take your actions back. How can he pick up a rebound? How can he anticipate if his mistake led to consequences, consequences that kept him from being there for his team. Whether he experienced guilt after his burst of anger or not, which he did, it was too late. The damage was done. Guilt or not. Guilt as in him regretting his action immediately after the deed. As in I wish I could go back in time. As in I really hope he can forgive me. As in I may have ruined my chance to play in the semifinals.

Rule #8 Sometimes you have to lean back a little and fade away to get the best shot. 

Josh's fading away took place as he was in the stands. As he sat silently next to his brother because his brother was not ready to forgive him. As he continued to fade away despite the fact that he was trying very hard to be allowed back in the team and to get his brother's forgiveness. All Josh had to do was wait patiently for him to be allowed back in the team and receive his brother's forgiveness. Hope is all he had. As in maybe soon I will be back on the team. As in maybe soon Jordan will forgive me. As in maybe soon I will have my brother back. As in maybe soon things will be like they were before.

Rule #9 When the game is on the line, don't fear. Grab the ball. Take it to the hoop. 

The most difficult moment in Jordan's and Josh's lives was the final game of the county championship, where despite the fact that they both knew that the end was near, Josh did exactly what his father asked him to do. Play. One can only imagine the mixed emotions going through these boys minds. The heartache with which Josh made that last play. He played exactly as his dad had shown them how, with passion. As in with everything he had. As in with the blood pumping through his veins. As in despite the fact that his heart was breaking.

Rule #10 A loss is inevitable. And true champions learn to overcome it. 

How is one supposed to survive without a father? How is one supposed to carry on when you lose the most important person in your life. Death is inevitable. As in it can't be avoid it no matter how hard you try running away from it. As in it can't be stopped.

My father was the light of my world, and now that he's gone, each night is starless. 

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Welcome to my blog!

I love reading. I love reading with an absolute passion. I often have wanted to blog about the nonsense of my every day life. The trials and tribulations and the ups and downs that surround my life would hardly gather an audience. I've given much thought to blogging, however, I never seem to have a solid idea for an interesting topic. So now things have been simplified to me. I  will blog about literature, CHILDREN'S LITERATURE!!! Fun, right? I'm excited. Hope you enjoy!!!