10.28 It’s Monday! What are you reading? #PaladinProphecy #FreakingOut

A new week, a new batch of books—both finished and being read. Today is…

Ring-the-Bell Monday & It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

This meme is originated by Jen and Kellee at TeachMentorTexts. Thanks!

{Celebrating the books we’ve read in the past week & the titles we are currently reading.}

Interesting true tales from young people who dealt with sometimes-debilitating anxiety. I felt so bad for these writers. It gives me a new awareness of what some people deal with. I’ll keep my eyes open for these symptoms in people I know.

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This was an intense, action-packed novel—the first in a series. It was lots of fun, with clever dialogue and surprises around every corner. If you’re looking for a tech-geek fueled sci-fi fantasy with mutant ghosts and kids with strange “powers”, then look no further. But be prepared to spend some extra time with Paladin: It weighs in at 539 pages.

From IndieBound:

Selected by Indie Booksellers for the Fall ’12 Kids List

“Frost, co-creator of the cult classic series Twin Peaks, sure knows how to weave a complex flight of imagination. The Paladin Prophecy is chock full of twists, turns, back flips, and somersaults. The story of Will and his band of uncommonly talented friends — and just as frightfully talented enemies — tops the list of books I can’t wait to handsell this fall!”

— Ramona Wanlass, Square Books, Oxford, MS

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Description

Readers of I Am Number Four, The Maze Runner, and Legend will love this exciting new adventure series by the co-creator of the groundbreaking television show Twin Peaks, with its unique combination of mystery, heart-pounding action, and the supernatural.

Will West is careful to live life under the radar. At his parents’ insistence, he’s made sure to get mediocre grades and to stay in the middle of the pack on his cross-country team. Then Will slips up, accidentally scoring off the charts on a nationwide exam.

Now Will is being courted by an exclusive prep school . . . and followed by men driving black sedans. When Will suddenly loses his parents, he must flee to the school. There he begins to explore all that he’s capable of–physical and mental feats that should be impossible–and learns that his abilities are connected to a struggle between titanic forces that has lasted for millennia.

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What were PARENTS reading last week? Let’s check it out... and here, too. (Thank you, commenters, for contributing to our book awareness. Reading is not a “school thing”.)

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[Check back throughout the day for updates of my students’ reading.]

This past week, my A Class has read:

17 books

My B Class has read:

18 books

My C Class has read:

17 books

Let’s be honest, this week I’m most likely reading student projects. But when i have spare time, I’m psyched to start

Before you see what the students are reading… what are you reading? Please leave a comment below and let us know—and show the students that reading isn’t just a “school” thing.

(For every parent who leaves a comment with what you’re reading, I’ll give your child a BUSTED ticket…)

[Check back at the end of the day to see the cool spinning pictures of what my students are reading.]

This week: a Break from SpinCam to try a Padlet!

Click the picture below—or scan the QR code—for the

A Class Padlet

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Click the picture below—or scan the QR code—for the

B Class Padlet

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Click the picture below—or scan the QR code—for the

C Class Padlet

[If anyone else is using SpinCam or Padlet to show what your students are reading, I’d love to know about it and link to my Friday post. Thanks.]

Thanks,

David Etkin

10.25 {BookFlix Friday} House of Hades

Today is

There are tons of great book trailers out in cyberland, and each Friday I will endeavor to bring a couple to you. Many will be new and recent books. Some trailers will preview a not-yet-released book. And others will look back a little further.

Lights…Camera…Action!

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If you liked Percy Jackson, then you may have continued his story by reading

Now comes the next installment:

 

Here is a fan-made trailer:

 

And if you click here you can hear the author, Rick Riordan, read a short section.

 

10.24 {THIRSTday}

Today is Thursday THIRSTday: A beverage and a book.

10.23 {Whatever Wednesday} The right book

Whatever Wednesday — a chance to post something I’ve seen that I’m diggin’. Though often a cool quote or poster, it might simply be a picture.

Enjoy!… and consider posting your own Whatever.

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One of my if goals all year–but especially in the beginning of the year–is to connect kids with books they’ll love. When a student has the right book, reading is a pleasure, a joy, an escape.

10.21 It’s Monday! What are you reading? #DogsOfWar

A new week, a new batch of books—both finished and being read. Today is…

Ring-the-Bell Monday & It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

This meme is originated by Jen and Kellee at TeachMentorTexts. Thanks!

{Celebrating the books we’ve read in the past week & the titles we are currently reading.}

I read this ARC from NetGalley. It is due out on October 29.

These three tales of dogs in war—from the trench warfare of WWI, to a WWII expedition in Greenland, to a struggling soldier returned from Vietnam—were captivating. These weren’t just tales of dogs, based on real uses of dogs in war time. These were tales of soldiers and the important role dogs played in their lives. A very interesting and worthwhile read. I was particularly intrigued by the story of the Vietnam soldier Lanford and his dog Sheba. The author did a neat job of showing the recently-returned soldier’s struggles as he interacted with the local boy Henry and his new puppy, Bouncer.

There were a few times where I felt the pictures were a little too busy and could have used some narration to clarify what was happening, but overall I enjoyed the book.

Here is the author’s site.

The illustrator has also published some of the illustrations from the book online, both on the comic book resources site and his Twitter feed.

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What were PARENTS reading last week? Let’s check it out. (Thank you, commenters, for contributing to our book awareness. Reading is not a “school thing”.)

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[Check back throughout the day for updates of my students’ reading.]

This past week, my A Class has read:

13 books

My B Class has read:

11 books

My C Class has read:

12 books

I’m about halfway through this book. Description here.

I’m on page 300 (of 539).

Before you see what the students are reading… what are you reading? Please leave a comment and let us know—and show the students that reading isn’t just a “school” thing.

(For every parent who leaves a comment with what you’re reading, I’ll give your child a BUSTED ticket…)

[Check back at the end of the day to see the cool spinning pictures of what my students are reading.]

Click the picture below for A Class SpinCam

Click the picture below for B Class SpinCam

Click the picture below for C Class SpinCam

[If anyone else is using SpinCam to show what your students are reading, I’d love to know about it and link to my Friday post. Thanks.]

Thanks,

David Etkin

10.18 {BookFlix Friday} #DivergentTrilogy #BoyProject #ReadWalkWaterVideo

Today is

There are tons of great book trailers out in cyberland, and each Friday I will endeavor to bring a couple to you. Many will be new and recent books. Some trailers will preview a not-yet-released book. And others will look back a little further.

Lights…Camera…Action!

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From Today’s announcements:

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I had TONS of boys read this last year. It was a hit.

Description from IndieBound:

For anyone who’s ever felt that boys were a different species….

Wildly creative seventh grader Kara McAllister just had her best idea yet. She’s going to take notes on all of the boys in her grade (and a few elsewhere) in order to answer a seemingly simple question: How can she get a boyfriend?

But Kara’s project turns out to be a lot more complicated than she imagined. Soon there are secrets, lies, and an embarrassing incident in the boy’s bathroom. Plus, Kara has to deal with mean girls, her slightly spacey BFF, and some surprising uses for duct tape. Still, if Kara’s research leads her to the right boy, everything may just be worth it. . . .

Full of charts and graphs, heart and humor, this hilarious debut will resonate with tweens everywhere.

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And finally, a slideshow celebration of last Friday’s übersuccessful #ReadWalkWater:

10.17 THIRSTday #PaladinProphecy

Today is Thursday THIRSTday: A beverage and a book.

Mr. Peterson recommended this book (I have the ARC of the second book), so I started it tonight. Got to page 75 pretty quickly. That’s a good sign.

10.15 It’s Monday! What are you reading? #TheDarkestPath #WarBrothers

A new week, a new batch of books—both finished and being read. Today is…

Ring-the-Bell Monday & It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

This meme is originated by Jen and Kellee at TeachMentorTexts. Thanks!

{Celebrating the books we’ve read in the past week & the titles we are currently reading.}

A high-energy, edge-of-the-seat story filled with battles, narrow escapes, and constant questions about whom to trust and where loyalties should lie. If you want a shot of adrenaline, I’d recommend this book. Here is the IndieBound summary:

Since he was captured by the Glorious Path, a militant religion based on the teachings of a former U.S. soldier, 15-year-old Cal has served the Path in its brutal war with the remains of the United States government. Cal has tried to survive and protect his younger brother, but when he kills an officer to protect a stray dog, Cal is forced to run.

Jeff Hirsch is a fellow New Yorker. Cal, the main character, is striving to return to the Finger Lakes and the town of Ithaca, located on Lake Cayuga. It’s a beautiful area.

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This was a terribly tragic book—I shared a little bit with my students but hesitated to go further due to the violence. The recommendation is for ages 14 and older. Where do we as teachers draw the line between knowing that our students need to be aware of what happens around the world and not wanting to steal their innocence?

There is hope and redemption, but the book asks a couple thought-provoking questions:

“Where does the victim end and the criminal begin? Whom do we punish? Who is accountable?  What happens when the child becomes an adult and continues his or her path of destruction?

I would use this book to teach story structure—how the author starts with a high-energy action scene, then backs up to the beginning to give the background before eventually picking back up with the original action. Nicely done.

War Brothers reminded me of this book, which I read a couple years ago:

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What were PARENTS reading last week? Let’s check it out. I think some parents commented here, too…(Thank you, commenters, for contributing to our book awareness.)

§

[Check back throughout the day for updates of my students’ reading.]

This past week, my A Class has read:

12 books

My B Class has read:

15 books

My C Class has read:

25 books

and probably

Some possibilities:

Before you see what the students are reading… what are you reading? Please leave a comment and let us know—and show the students that reading isn’t just a “school” thing.

(For every parent who leaves a comment with what you’re reading, I’ll give your child a BUSTED ticket…)

[Check back at the end of the day to see the cool spinning pictures of what my students are reading.]

Click the picture below for A Class SpinCam

Click the picture below for B Class SpinCam

Click the picture below for C Class SpinCam

[If anyone else is using SpinCam to show what your students are reading, I’d love to know about it and link to my Friday post. Thanks.]

Thanks,

David Etkin

10.11 {BookFlix Friday}

Today is

There are tons of great book trailers out in cyberland, and each Friday I will endeavor to bring a couple to you. Many will be new and recent books. Some trailers will preview a not-yet-released book. And others will look back a little further.

Lights…Camera…Action!

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First up: My revamped trailer for A Long Walk to Water. I included some new information since today is our #ReadWalkWater day. Two other schools—Holly Mueller’s in Ohio, and another in Wisconsin—will be doing similar walks. I can’t wait to hear about theirs.

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In the spirit of Africa, here is a trailer for the graphic novel War Brothers. It looks disturbing… but also has a hint of hope.

We read about Salva, a boy who wasn’t involved in the fighting. What was life like for the boys who were considered old enough to join the war?

 

Time for some Reading&Tweeting:

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From Mr. Cody, author of Powerless and Super:

 

 

 

And from Mrs. Kittscher (who just sent me an AWESOME signed copy of Wig in the Window…

…comes this exchange:

 

 

 

All right. You’ve been clamoring for another KidSnippets. How about a MINECRAFT one?

And if you behave, I’ll even let you watch…

10.10 {THIRSTday} The Darkest Path

Today is Thursday THIRSTday: A beverage and a book.

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I had an ARC of this, and when I abandoned my other book I saw Cole reading this. That was a great excuse to jump in. Great start so far. I’m hooked. And the chai tea is tasty.

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In addition, here are a couple awesome #ReadWalkWater tweets from the past couple days:

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