Peaceful Heroes by Jonah Winter

It seems to be a standard middle school project- choose a hero and write a report about them.  Sure, the product may vary- report, triboard, slideshow, website, multigenre project- but the assignment rarely varies.  And what always happens?  Teachers end up with 32 projects on the same 3 people.  Every. single. year.  For that reason, [...]

Looking Like Me by Walter Dean Myers

After reading Looking Like Me by Walter Dean Myers, I immediately added it to my “Where I’m From” unit. It will fit in perfectly with my beginning of the year activities. Looking Like Me is a celebration in poetry of who we are as individuals. We are brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, dancers, readers, writers, athletes, [...]

Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson by Sharon Robinson

My students love baseball, especially the boys.  Year in and year out, that’s a given.  One of the most popular players to read about is Jackie Robinson.  When I saw Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson in the Scholastic catalog, I couldn’t wait to read it. This is a touching tribute to [...]

The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen

Who can resist The Magic School Bus?  Even my “cool” 6th graders get giddy and sing along with the theme song when clips are included in their science curriculum.  I can’t wait to share the newest title, The Magic School Bus And The Climate Challenge, with our science teachers. Like all of The Magic School [...]

Luv Ya Bunches by Lauren Myracle

I’m doing this review without the book in front of me, because I immediately passed it on to one of my students today.  As I was reading it I knew she would love, so I made sure she took it home with her to read over the impending snow day.  I already know that Luv [...]

Scones and Sensibility by Lindsay Eland

I admit it- I’m a cover girl.  Show me a pretty girl and I’m completely drawn in.  So when I saw a display of Lindsay Eland’s Scones and Sensibility at the bookstore, I fell in love. The loopy doodles! The vintage shadow design! The pinks and purples! It was a girly girl’s dream (and I’m [...]

To Come and Go Like Magic by Katie Pickard Fawcett

I’ve had an *interesting* week, to say the least.  So when I opened a packed from Random House and saw a book with monarch butterflies on the cover, it was like it was meant to be.  The book had not even been on my radar, but I settled in to read it. Told in a [...]

Back Soon!

Oh, it’s just been one of those weeks…. I’ll be back with reviews tomorrow.

Share a Story-Shape a Future 2010

Has it really been a year?!  Apparently, it has! The Share a Story-Shape a Future blog tour is coming up again in just a few weeks- March (8-14).  This year’s theme is “It takes a village to raise a reader.”  The tour will last five days and each day will be hosted by a different [...]

Happy Cybils Day!

Oh, and Happy Valentine’s Day, too.  ;) Today is the day the kidlitosphere has been waiting for with bated breath……today we learn the winners of the Cybils!  Without further ado, I want to introduce the winner of the middle grade fiction panel…. Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson A huge thank you to my own panel! [...]