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Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: Book Talk, Most Recent at Top [Help]

Results 1 - 18 of 18

1. NHS Fall book talk: Great YA Titles to satisfy teen readers

By: Naomi Bates, on 9/29/2014
Blog: YA Books and More (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book talk, Add a tag

NHS Book Talk - Created with Haiku Deck, presentation software that inspires

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2. Fall 2012 Booktalk - Fall into the Pages

By: Naomi Bates, on 10/4/2012
Blog: YA Books and More (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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This years fall booktalk line-up! I'm excited about this list!!

1 Comments on Fall 2012 Booktalk - Fall into the Pages, last added: 10/6/2012

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3. Interesting stats on my booktalk last week...

By: naomibates, on 1/31/2012
Blog: YA Books and More (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book talk, analysis, Add a tag

Okay, so I went with some information gathering technology during this booktalk to see what I could gather about the readers here on my campus. This was done in a day (booktalked two days with a colleague) and they were mostly freshmen and sophomores.
12 classes
391 students
189 girls
202 boys

Books on the list:
20
Book trailers on the list:
6

The top five picks for girls:
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (book trailer)
Shelter by Harlan Coben (book trailer)
You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis
Compromised by Heidi Ayarbe
The Poisoned House by Michael Ford ( book trailer)

The bottom five picks for girls:
The Watch That Ends the Night by Allan Wolfe
Freak Magnet by Andrew Auseon
Dust and Decay by Jonathan Maberry
Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris
Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Ahhhh, the girlies. They will read guy books, girl books, non-fiction. You can tell from the top five that they run the gamut of genres. Most of the titles in the bottom five were interesting as well. Three of them were pitched for guys and girls but had a more grisly vibe to them. Girls don't seem to want to read about man-eating horses or zombie pit fights. Interestingly enough, not all of the book trailer books made it into the top ten for the girls. Most of them did, but Variant by Robison Wells wasn't in their top ten. As for Bad Taste in Boys? See the comment I made in the guys section below. Applies here as well.

The top five picks for guys:
Divergent by Veronica Roth (book trailers)
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (book trailer)
Shelter by Harlan Coban (book trailer)
Trapped by Marc Aronson
How They Croaked by Georgia Bragg

The bottom five picks for guys:
You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis
Bunheads by Sophie Flack
How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
Freak Magnet by Andrew Auseon
Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

It seems that boys never lose faith in non-fiction. The only two non-fiction titles were in the guys top five. My personal opinion is that when they get older, it becomes more difficult for guys to really find enjoyable non-fiction titles, which is why I always include 2-3 titles in the booktalk. Of the top ten titles for guys, all six booktrailers made it, which may show they boys tend to connect visuals to the choice of books. And the bottom picks? All girls books, with the exception of Freak Magnet, which is told in alternating guy and girl voices, where the main character is considered a "freak." The only caveat I would have is Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris, which was the very last book talk

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4. Another Digital Platform for Booktalking

By: naomibates, on 1/27/2012
Blog: YA Books and More (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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I enjoy using technology, and I've always used Prezi for booktalks. But I ran into some trouble where Prezi wasn't allowing me to upload images...don't know why. So after teaching several classes about Weebly, I decided to try that platform instead and found I really liked the layout! So here's the link to my booktalk website, including links to all authors, a list in genre form, and books with links to trailers.
http://www.nhsspring2012booktalk.weebly.com/

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5. Book Talk: Bigger Than a Bread Box

By: Kelly Butcher, on 7/23/2011
Blog: The Lemme Library (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: tween, book talk, book suggestions, newbery watch, Add a tag

Everybody's parents fight, right? It's normal. They disagree, say things they don't mean, forget birthdays and anniversaries- but they forgive each other... right? Well, not always. Sometimes parents don't make up. Sometimes a mom or a dad can only take so much before they just need a break. A break- from being married, a break from the person they married. Does this mean they don't love each other? I guess that's what the break will tell them. But what about the kids? When a mom and dad decide to take a break- what happens to them? Do they get a choice in the matter? Probably not... parents usually make those kinds of decisions without consulting the kids.

But think about it. How would you feel if one morning you woke up and your mom had packed the car and told you that you were going to Atlanta- right this minute. No chance to say goodbye to your friends, or pack your favorite things or turn in your homework. You had to get in the car and leave everything... including your dad. And what if your dad hugged you goodbye and your mom drove away? What if you looked back to see your dad chasing the car and yelling at your mom to come back? How would you feel?
Bigger Than a Bread Box, by Laurel Snyder will show you how you might feel. In this book, Rebecca is the girl who wakes up to find that her mom is leaving her dad in Baltimore and driving to Atlanta to stay with her mother (Gran). Rebecca knew that her parents had been having trouble- but enough trouble to leave her dad behind? And what is worse? Rebecca had no idea. Rebecca had no choice.

After a silent drive from Baltimore to Atlanta, Rebecca, her brother Lew and her mom arrive at Gran's house. When Gran tells her about the new middle school she will be starting on Friday, Rebecca realizes that they aren't there for a few days. She hides in the attic so she doesn't have to talk to her mother. While in hiding, she looks through some of Gran's things and finds a collection of bread boxes. (Bread boxes were used back in the day to keep bread fresh- before it was made with all the preservatives we use today... it would go stale so fast. It also kept out the bugs and the mice)
Rebecca is drawn to a beautiful red bread box that seems to stand out from all of the others. As she sits in the attic, bored and covered with dust, she wishes, out loud, that she had a book to read. Instantly, she hears a thud come from the red bread box. She opens it up and finds an old ratty copy of a Nancy Drew book. Rebecca takes the book and the bread box back to her room. She wishes that she had 20 bucks- again, the box makes a sound, Rebecca opens it and there is a 20 dollar bill. Rebecca realizes that she can wish for anything that will fit into the bread box and it will appear... it's magic.
Rebecca decides to use this box to her advantage- she wishes for things that will help her adjust to her new situation. (new jeans for her, lip g

4 Comments on Book Talk: Bigger Than a Bread Box, last added: 7/26/2011

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6. Book Talk: Breadcrumbs

By: Kelly Butcher, on 7/20/2011
Blog: The Lemme Library (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book talk, book suggestions, Add a tag

I haven't read any reviews of Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu, and I won't until I hit the publish button at the bottom of this post. I knew this was a much talked about book, lots of Newbery buzz, and I didn't want to be influenced in my reading or my reviewing.

I am sure you know the story of The Snow Queen, by Hans Christian Anderson- right? Well, Breadcrumbs is a retelling of this fairy tale aimed at the tween crowd. Jack and Hazel are best friends and accept each other as they are. Hazel has trouble fitting in and Jack is her only friend. Hazel understands why Jack's mom has distant and sad eyes (she has depression). And Jack understands how Hazel feels about her parent's divorce. He doesn't even ask her what it's like to be adopted. They are soul mates in a sense.

Jack has chosen Hazel over the mean boys at school and the mean boys aren't happy about that. They go out of their way to torment and tease Hazel. One day at recess, ~~a sliver~~ something happens to Jack that turns his heart to ice. He is mean and nasty to Hazel, and then he just disappears.

Hazel can't stand the idea of going on without Jack, so she makes it her quest to find him and save him. She finds out that Jack was taken by a tall, white woman riding a sled pulled by wolves...enter The White Witch (or snow queen as I think of her). Hazel sets off after Jack and endures many setbacks and bad guys along the way. She also encounters many people/creatures who could have helped her but are too consumed with their own troubles to offer her help. Hazel attempts to help each of them and is very tempted to stay where she is- until she pulled toward Jack by the power of love. As Hazel continues on her quest, she grows and matures but remains so innocent through it all. And in the end, it is Hazel's love for Jack that might just save him from The Snow Queen.

As I read this book, I just let it wash over me. The words are so beautiful, almost like a lullaby. I wanted to enjoy the story and not pick it apart and analyze the meaning... so I waited until now to do that. Now, don't take my ideas for your own- I think this book allows the reader to form their own opinions and ideas. I am not a psychology major, so go gentle on me in the comments!

I felt so very heavy as I read this book- I started to become as down as the characters- so it took me longer than usual to finish. I think the Snow Queen (White Witch) is depression... mental illness, perhaps. Jack's mom had depression and it changed his entire life. He was such a young man to deal with something as serious and devastating as having a mother with depression. Jack may have been looking for a chance to hide from it all and forget about his mom- and The White Witch gave him just that: She froze his heart so he couldn't feel anything. I don't think she did this to be mean, she does it because she cares about him and doesn't want him to feel any more pain. (To me, The Snow Queen wasn't

1 Comments on Book Talk: Breadcrumbs, last added: 7/23/2011

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7. Book Talk: Hidden

By: Kelly Butcher, on 7/8/2011
Blog: The Lemme Library (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: newbery watch, newbery 2012, tween, book talk, Add a tag

I am so impressed with the books that are coming out for tweens this year. Tweens (kids 8-12) are a special group of kids. They are pretty much done learning to read and most of them are now reading for pleasure. You can tell that I have tweens in the library because you will see them flocked around me asking me for a great book to read. It's like a pre-game huddle and I am the QB. I grab books from the shelf and give a quick booktalk- then the kids fight over who gets to check out the books. : ) I have been blown away by the quality of books that are available for these kids so far this year. The Newbery Committee is going to have a very difficult time selecting a winner this year. A book that I am sure will be fought over in The Lemme Library is Hidden by Helen Frost.

8 year old Wrenn is sitting in her mom's gold mini-van when she hears a gunshot. She quickly hides in the backseat as a man enters the van and speeds off. The man has stolen the van without knowing that there is a child in the backseat. Wrenn finds herself alone, scared and unintentionally kidnapped. Each time the kidnapper opens the door that leads into his house, Wrenn gets a glimpse of his family- his wife Stacey and 8 year old daughter Darra. When Stacey learns that there is a stolen car in her garage, she gets a black eye. When Darra hears on the news that there was a little girl inside that stolen car, she is told to turn off the news. Darra has a feeling that the girl is hiding in the garage and worries about what will happen if her dad finds her- so she is determined to find her and help her escape. Wrenn does escape and the police are lead to the house and the man is arrested.

Flash forward 7 years and it seems that Wrenn has grown up to be a happy, well-adjusted teenager. She is just settling into camp when she notices a new camper who is not at all happy to be there. When the new girl runs off, her mother calls after her and to Wrenn's surprise and terror, the camper is Darra- the daughter of the man who kidnapped her 7 years ago.

The 2 girls end up in the same cabin and in the same activities. They are forced to deal with feelings that they have been hiding all these years. Darra is angry- angry at Wrenn for getting her dad arrested and causing her parents to get divorced. Wrenn is overwhelmed with emotions from anger to terror- she didn't even know she felt that way until now.

That is all I will tell you about Wrenn and Darra. This story begs to be unfolded by the reader and not the reviewer.

At one time, Darra is out on a glass bottom boat- the kind of boat that you can look through and see right into the water. She sees all of these sunken ships that are resting on the bottom of the lake. She realizes that no matter how calm the water looks, you never know what is hiding just under the surface. That passage sums up this novel perfectly. Children (and adults) are walking around this great big world with a whole lot of stuff on their minds- issues from their past, problems they have now and worries about the future. Just because someone puts on a happy face and looks calm on the outside doesn't mean there isn't a hurricane brewing on the inside. This book will inadvertently t

1 Comments on Book Talk: Hidden, last added: 7/8/2011

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8. Book Talk: Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes

By: Kelly Butcher, on 7/3/2011
Blog: The Lemme Library (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: newbery watch, newbery 2012, book talk, books for boys, Add a tag

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier
(August 2011).
Picture if you will a newborn baby boy placed in a basket and left to sail the ocean alone. When he is finally rescued by sailors his eyes have been pecked out by a raven. The sailors kill the raven and turn the baby over to the local authorities. The baby is given a name- Peter Nimble-and nothing else, and sent into the world to fend for himself. He lives for a time with a mama cat and her kittens, until they are discovered and thrown into the ocean in a burlap bag to drown. Peter manages to untie the bag and make it to safety. Having nobody to care for him, Peter learns to survive on his own. Although he is an infant- and a blind infant at that- he starts his career as a thief. By the age of 3, Peter had become a true menace to society. His talents were discovered by Mr. Seamus- a beggarmonger (a man who trains orphans to beg and steal and turn their booty over to him in exchange for "food" and "shelter"). Mr. Seamus always wanted to become a thief- but he was too clumsy to follow his dream. When he met Peter, he decided to sell off his other beggars and train Peter to become an expert thief. In fact, Peter became an expert at picking locks because Mr. Seamus locked all of Peter's meals inside an old sea chest- if he wanted to eat, he had to pick the lock.
When a mysterious haberdasher (a man who sells men's hats and ties and such) comes to town, Peter's skills as a thief are put to the test. The boy steals a box of magical eyes from the haberdasher. The first time he touches the eyes, he knows that he must try them. He puts in the eyes and is instantly transported to a mysterious land. As it turns out, Peter had been summoned to help save The Vanished Kingdom. Using the fantastic eyes, he must set out on a fantastical quest where he befriends a part man, part kitten part horse creature, meets a dogfish bigger than a whale and gets stranded in the desert. I can't give away much more, because it will ruin the story for you- and you know I won't do that! But, I will tell you that you will read about swashbuckling, sword fighting, evil Kings, talking ravens and killer apes!

I can tell you that this is a quest that reminded me of so many great quests I have read- including The Wizard of Oz. Peter is a little bit like Dorothy who gets whisked away to a magical land where he must go on a journey to find the answers to his questions and to discover who he truly is and where he truly belongs. In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy meets many memorable characters that help her along the way. Peter meets characters that help him on his quest as well (instead of The Cowardly Lion, we have Sir Tode)- and some that try to stop him from completing his quest (Instead of The Wicked Witch of the West, we have King Incarnadine). And like Dorothy, what Peter was looking for might have been with him all along. (Instead of ruby slippers we have... um, can't tell you!)

This a fast paced adventure that will appeal to kids grades 4-8 (boys will devour this book

3 Comments on Book Talk: Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes, last added: 7/6/2011

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9. Book Talk Tuesday

By: Kelly Butcher, on 4/4/2011
Blog: The Lemme Library (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Week Three of Book Talk Tuesday is here! Be sure to spread the word to any kid lit lovers!

I have been searching the web for a great place to post book reviews for librarians and teachers to use in the classroom. Well, I am going to try hosting my own Book Talk Tuesday! I invite teachers, moms, dads and librarians to link to a recent book talk or book review that can be used by others.

My rules?

1. All content must be appropriate for children in grades kindergarten through eighth grade.

2. Websites that you link to must be child friendly since lots of kids visit this site and if they click on your link, I want it to be appropriate for them.

3. Positive reviews only, please... we only spread love here at The Lemme Library!
4. Books must be available in The US. (you are welcome to link to ARC reviews)

5. I reserve the right to remove any reviews that don't meet criteria 1-4.

In the link title field, be sure to include the title of the book you are reviewing and your site name. In the URL field, please link to this specific post that contains the book review (That way people don't have to scour your blog looking for it!)
I'd love it if you would leave a comment telling me about yourself! You are welcome to grab the Book Talk Tuesday graphic to use it on your blog.

3 Comments on Book Talk Tuesday, last added: 4/8/2011

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10. Book Talk: Bless This Mouse

By: Kelly Butcher, on 4/3/2011
Blog: The Lemme Library (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book talk, book suggestions, Add a tag

When I hear the name Lois Lowry, I think of futuristic, dystopian societies and one of my all time favorite books The Giver. So, when I saw the cover of her newest book Bless This Mouse, I was shocked, disappointed and excited all at the same time. I kept the book on my "to read" pile for 2 weeks. But tonight, I sat down and read it in 2 hours. A-Dor-A-Ble! This was a very sweet book. In a time when most of the books the fly off the shelves are about fighting and killing and vampires and wimpy kids, this book was a breath of fresh air for me. My only concern is that it will be hard to get this book out to a wide audience because it is so sweet.

Bless This Mouse by Lois Lowry (F LOW) is the story of 220 church mice. The mice live secretly and safely in the church, keeping to themselves and avoiding humans. Hildegarde is the Mouse Mistress, the leader of the mice. She is a very serious and keeps the mice in line- she doesn't tolerate in nonsense. The mice population is beginning to grow, and this is worrisome to Hildegarde. She knows that fall is a very bad time to be a church mouse. In September, the church celebrates The Feast of Saint Francis and the Blessing of The Animals. All of the parishioners are invited to bring their pets to the church for a blessing. This is very dangerous for the mice because the children bring their cats to be blessed. The blessing of the animals in safe when held Outdoors, but if it rains, the Blessing of the Animals is held in the church. In the past, many mice have been list to the jaws of cats that have gotten loose. Hildegarde is concerned that the large number of mice babies will draw the attention the people and their pets- baby mice are hard to control and adolescent mice never listen to their parents.

To make matters worse, the mice have grown a bit careless. They have been taking shortcuts and risks that they usually don't take. Several parishioners have seen mice in the church, but when mischief of baby mice are spotted in the ladies room, the priest, Father Murphy decides to call The Great X (the exterminator). Hildegarde is faced with the terrible task of saving the entire mouse population. She leads them on a mass exodus from the church to the graveyard to wait out the exterminator.

She discovers that the situation in the church has become very dangerous. The exterminator has left behind rodent poison and glue traps. Glue traps lead to a terrible death when the mouse steps on the glue and gets stuck, left to starve or suffocate. Hildegarde hatches an ingenious plan to save the mice from the traps... but the plan is very dangerous. Will the mice be able to return to the church? Will the cats devour more mice during The Blessing of the Animals? Hmmm.... I''ll never tell!

This book is a quick read, and would make a wonderful bedtime read aloud for kids K-3. You could easily pair this book with The Tale of Desperaux. I felt like I got to know the characters of the book and grew to love each of them (even Lucretia, by the end). Bless This Mouse is a sweet little story that

1 Comments on Book Talk: Bless This Mouse, last added: 4/4/2011

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11. Book Talk: Queen of the Falls

By: Kelly Butcher, on 3/27/2011
Blog: The Lemme Library (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: biography, book talk, Add a tag

When I think of author/illustrator Chris Van Allsburgh, I think of crazy plots, far away settings... a fantasy book. So, when I read The Queen of the Falls I was in for a surprise! (I don't read book flaps and reviews of books all the time- sometimes I want to read the book not knowing anything!)

The Queen of the Falls is the true story of Annie Edson Taylor, the 62 year old former school teacher who went over Niagara Falls in a barrel. When Annie retired from teaching school, she didn't have any money. She was afraid that she would be put in a home and left to die, so she hatches a plan. She decides that she will go over The Falls in a barrel, and then tour the country. She thought that people would flock to see the first woman to ride over Niagara Falls and survive.

Annie had a hard time getting anyone to take her seriously. When she first approached the barrel maker, he refused, telling her that he would not be responsible for her death. When he finally agrees, he works with Annie to develop a barrel that would take the impact of landing at the bottom of The Falls. Annie hires a manager- someone to hype up the event and get people excited! Annie knew that being a 62 year old school teacher might not draw as much attention as a younger dare devil, so she lies and tells the manager that she is only 42. Even after seeing how old she is, the manager agrees to help her.

Annie pulls off the stunt and on October 24, 1901 becomes the first woman to go over Niagara Falls. Annie is ready for her fortune to start rolling in, but it never does. People are not expecting a 62 year lady to be The Queen of the Falls, and don't believe that she is the real thing. People walk out of her shows and eventually stop buying tickets to see her all together. Her manager even runs off with her barrel! Annie was sure that this stunt would bring her money and fame, but she spends the rest of her life sitting in front of a model of her barrel selling postcards to tourists. Annie went on a journey searching for fame and fortune, but never found it. I can imagine that Annie was dejected and angry. She accomplished a great stunt, yet never received the recognition she deserved. To be judged by her appearance and discriminated against based on her age by the entire country is tragic. Annie reminds me of the many, many people who go on tv today trying to achieve fame and fortune- Annie was a reality star of her time. I hope that this book brings her the fame that she sought so many years ago. This book would be a great addition to a biography study.

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12. Book Talk Tuesday

By: Kelly Butcher, on 3/20/2011
Blog: The Lemme Library (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Book Talk Tuesday, book talk, Add a tag

I have been searching the web for a great place to post book reviews for librarians and teachers to use in the classroom. Well, I am going to try hosting my own Book Talk Tuesday! I invite teachers and librarians to link to a recent book talk or book review that can be used by others.

My rules?

1. All content must be appropriate for children in grades kindergarten through eighth grade.

2. Websites that you link to must be child friendly since lots of kids visit this site and if they click on your link, I want it to be appropriate for them.

3. Positive reviews only, please... we only spread love here at The Lemme Library!
4. Books must be available in The US. (you are welcome to link to ARC reviews)

5. I reserve the right to remove any reviews that don't meet criteria 1-4.

In the link field, be sure to include the tit;e of the book. I'd love it if you would leave a comment telling me about yourself! You are welcome to grab the Book Talk Tuesday graphic to use it on your blog.

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13. Book Talk: Saving Zasha

By: Kelly Butcher, on 3/15/2011
Blog: The Lemme Library (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book talk, middle unit, upper unit, Add a tag

Now we have a Newbery Contender for 2011!

Yes, Saving Zasha by Randi Barrow is one to watch.

This book takes place in Northern Russia not long after World War II has ended. The country is still suffering the effects of the war- very little gasoline and food, and many of the men are still missing or dead from their battle against Germany. The people of Russia are so angry with Germany that they have banned all things German, including dogs, namely, German Shepherds.

When Mikhail is out in the woods one afternoon, he finds an injured soldier and his dog- a German Shepherd named Zasha. Mikhail helps the man onto his horse and back to his home where his mother, little sister Rina and older brother Nikolai run to his aid. They get the man inside and clean him up and help him get comfortable. When Mikhail's mother tries to shoo the dog from the house, the man puts up a fight and the dog is allowed to stay by his side. Zasha is still by his side in the morning. Mikhail discovered that the man died during the night.

The family decides that they must take the dead man into town and explain what happened to the police. The children agree, but want to keep the dog. Their family has been so sad and lonely since their father went missing during the war. Their mother concedes and the dog is allowed to stay with them. However, they must keep Zasha hidden. People are not allowed to have dogs after the war, and a German Shepherd would be killed on site. Nikolai tells his family that he saw a Russian soldier shoot and kill 2 German Shepherds in the street. He also believes that the man they tried to save died trying to protect his dog.

When they arrive at the police station, they tell their story, leaving out the part about the dog. While they are there, Irina, a newspaper reporter arrives, followed by the editor's nosy and snooty daughter, Katia. Immediately Katia is in the middle of the discussion of the dead man. She announces that she will investigate and find the story his death. This makes Mikhail very nervous, because Katia is one of his least favorite people and he doesn't appreciate her sticking her nose into his business.

Once back at the farm, the family must decide how to keep Zasha and the family safe. The boys find several hiding places to keep Zasha in case of an emergency. The family falls in love with her, and she seems to bring happiness to all of them. The boys spend time training her and she catches on quickly. As promised, Katia does investigate the death of the mystery man and ends up at the farm on several occasions. Her guess is that the man had a dog and he was killed trying to protect it. She tells Mikhail that she found dog hairs on the dead man's coat. She took a sample of the hairs and

3 Comments on Book Talk: Saving Zasha, last added: 3/17/2011

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14. My Favorite Love Story

By: Kelly Butcher, on 2/12/2011
Blog: The Lemme Library (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: fiction, funny, book talk, valentine's, Add a tag

Ah... Valentine's Day is upon us. Flowers. Chocolate. Love. Have you ever tried to read a love story to a group of elementary students? The girls giggle and the boys plug their ears (and make gagging sounds.) Trust me, I know. I've read my fair share of fairy tales to kids and I get the same reaction every time! If someone gets married in the book... forgetaboutit! I have even seen boys lay down on the ground and bury their face in their hands. There is one love story that is perfect for reading to kids:

Stinky Smelly Feet (A Love Story) by Margie Palatini is my favorite love story. Douglas the Duck is smitten with Dolores and Dolores is Smitten with Douglas (smitten takes the edge off... they don't know what smitten means!) One day, during a picnic lunch, Dolores invites Douglas to take off his shoes and let the grass tickle his toes. He does, and we discover that Douglas has a serious case of stinky, smelly feet. Douglas is very embarrassed by this discovery, but Dolores is unfazed. After she comes to, she lets Douglas know that it is ok, and may be he just needs a good, hot bubble bath. Douglas tries very hard to get rid of his odoriferous feet, but nothing works. The 2 love-ducks think that his shoes might be the culprit, and not his feet. So, they throw out all of his shoes and walk off down the street hand in hand, still quite smitten with one another. A happy ending? Yes, even though we discover that Douglas doesn't have stinky shoes, he indeed has stinky, smelly feet. But, this is a love story, right? Dolores loves Douglas so much that it doesn't matter how bad his feet smell- she loves him so much that she can overlook (or oversmell) this little problem.

This book is great for showing kids that despite our differences or our flaws, that we are still great people. And, if someone doesn't like you for who you are, you don't want to be friends with them. The kids don't even realize that they are learning a valuable life lesson because they are so busy laughing and pointing out the hilarious illustrations by Ethan Long- birds in gas masks, fish that go belly up from the smell. I love this book, my kids love this book, and I'm sure you will love this book too!

1 Comments on My Favorite Love Story, last added: 2/14/2011

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15. Of Mermaids and Mid-grades and BLACK HOLE SUN. Happy Holidays and Happy Reading!

By: H. Pinski, on 12/2/2010
Blog: The Bone Diggers' Underground (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Book Talk, Add a tag

I'm posting a few tidbits from the wonderful blog, From the Mixed Up Files...of Middle-Grade Authors (and I might as well post links to other people's blogs since I've had no time to devote to my own!). First, an exciting December release from the also wonderful Helene Boudreau. REAL MERMAIDS DON'T WEAR TOE RINGS! is out and on my holiday wish list.

There's also this great interview with editor Donna Bray of Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins. I particularly enjoyed reading about what she considers ‘essential ingredients’ in a mid-grade novel.

Finally, the School Library Journal is out with their Best of 2010 list. I was thrilled to see that one of my favorites, BLACK HOLE SUN by David Macinnis Gill (author of the deliciously fun SOUL ENCHILADA) made it, but was surprised to find Rick Riordan's THE RED PYRAMID. No offense to Riordan fans out there, but after Percy Jackson I didn't feel PYRAMID offered too much that was new and there were so many fantastic 2010 titles to choose from!

So what's on your reading wish list this year?

0 Comments on Of Mermaids and Mid-grades and BLACK HOLE SUN. Happy Holidays and Happy Reading! as of 1/1/1900

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16. Punk Rock and Jersey Fresh--TOMORROW in the good old S.O.

Posted on 8/5/2009
Blog: First person present (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: sopl, shameless self-promotion, book talk, so punk rock, Add a tag

They say you can't go home again...but just who are these mysterious "they," anyway? What do they know?
Dave and I are out to prove them wrong--tomorrow night!

We're going to be presenting a rockin' (we hope) book talk about So Punk Rock at our hometown library, aka South Orange Public. We'll be chatting with adolescents of all ages from 7-8:30pm. If you're local, we'd love to see you.

Click here for the info.

Rock on,

M

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17. George Washington was our Luke Skywalker

By: H. Pinski, on 7/4/2009
Blog: The Bone Diggers' Underground (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Book Talk, Spirit of '76, Add a tag

So I'm hanging out with my little guy who is obsessed with Star Wars, trying to explain Independence Day to him, when I realized that George Washington was Luke Skywalker...fighting for freedom from the control of an Empire, the odds stacked against him, armed with little else than deeply held convictions about what is good and just in this world.

Independence day quote:

“Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.” George Wasgington

Two great Independence Day reads:

1 Comments on George Washington was our Luke Skywalker, last added: 7/7/2009

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18. Book Talk

By: Laura Bowers, on 1/28/2008
Blog: Laura Bowers (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book talk, book talk, Add a tag

I have a confession to make: Before this year, I've never read a book told in free-verse poetry. I know, I know--don't say it! But, you'll be happy to know that I've changed my evil ways by reading . . .

. . . Reaching for Sun by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer. I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! Why? It was beautifully written with not a word wasted, making it such an enjoyable read.

Now I'm reading . . .

. . . Dream Factory by Brad Barkly and Heather Hepler, that has an opening line that grabbed my attention right away. "I wasn't at all surprised when Cinderella gave me the finger." Spicy!

Have a great week!

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