Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Great book for teenagers.  Easy read, too.  I'm actually reading it aloud to my English class and they are really enjoying it so far.  Plus, they have already found connections in it to TKAM...excellent.

Ramona's World by Beverly Cleary

Never read Ramona Quimby books growing up, so I'm glad I had to do it for class.  Great ( Read more... )

Five jobs in six days.  Parent-teacher conferences tomorrow.  Planning the France trip for next year.  College class.  And my day job still exists, especially when they took away my prep hour today.  Awesome.  Can't wait until I'm tenured and can say "no ( Read more... )

Tired.  Sick.  Taking on too much, probably, but hopefully things will pass quickly.  I'm so busy that I haven't had the chance to put checks in the bank from my job two weeks ago.  I have two jobs this weekend and three the next.  Placing the first of senior portrait orders by the end of next week.  Trying to keep up with this Delta class; and I ( Read more... )

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

Short.  Quick.  One easy read and one storyline.  It makes it easier to follow.  I really can't say more about it, but that it would be a good book to suggest to my freshmen if they are having a hard time reading.  The chapters make it easier to accomplish a little at a time.

The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien

Read the book for Children's Literature class at Delta.  Glad I read it so I can recommend it to some of my students that would probably like it.  Including the child of the mother with blinders on that will probably think that it's completely sending those of us who read it to hell.  Wait, I digress.  I liked the growth of ( Read more... )

But I really need to have more intelligent people in these classes that I'm taking.  I know, I know, I bring it upon myself to take these credits at a junior college.  And yes, I'm almost guaranteed a perfect four-point, but honestly, can I please see more in depth thoughts?  We are working with childrens literature which requires a deeper analysis ( Read more... )

Tribes by Seth Godin

In many ways, this book reminded me of The Last Lecture: in size and in motivation to get off your ass and do something.  Unlike The Last Lecture, however, this book was about how to become a leader to a tribe in order to be successful in business.  It wasn't full of a "To Do" list, but rather short anecdotes of how other people ( Read more... )

Savvy by Ingrid Law

I'd probably say that this is a children's book instead of a YA Lit book.  However, it is a coming of age story, but the writing is more Dr. Suess--whimsical.  It is a Newberry Award Winner, and well given.  The writing may be whimsical, yet it's poetic and can probably be used for an example of alliteration.  The story is about ( Read more... )

Perfect Fifths by Megan McCafferty

The last installment of the Jessica Darling series.  Smartly written, great ending.  It goes over the course of 24 hours as Jessica misses her flight to Bridget & Percy's wedding (if you read the other four books in the set, you know who I mean) instead runs into Marcus Flutie, her first love.  Was it fate?  Was it ( Read more... )

Deadline by Chris Crutcher

Probably one of my favorite YA Lit authors (read also Whale Talk and Staying Fat For Sara Byrnes) came out with this one last year.  Chronicles the year of Ben, who finds out he has cancer, but chooses not to have treatment; instead he lives out one amazing year doing things he would have never done before.  Definite ( Read more... )