I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Saltzman at one of the Excellence in Teaching trainings I attended at Broadmoor Elementary, a training she briefly t...moreI had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Saltzman at one of the Excellence in Teaching trainings I attended at Broadmoor Elementary, a training she briefly talks about in this book. I learned about her story and was immediately curious about her. How does she do it? I think we are curious because we wonder how we might handle ourselves if ever faced with a difficult situation like this.
I am appreciative that Nancy wrote this book. It contains insight into surviving tragedy, and insight into how to support others you care about who are experiencing their own tragedies. While reading this book, a friend of mine lost her son in a traffic accident. This book helped me know how to support her.
I am also grateful to read this account because it is written by a person who says she is "not particularly religious." Some of us draw comfort in our faith during difficult times. Some of us find strength and comfort in other ways.
Book #2 in the series. I did find it confusing at times as each chapter changed the character's point of view, alternating Ky and Cassia's stories. It...moreBook #2 in the series. I did find it confusing at times as each chapter changed the character's point of view, alternating Ky and Cassia's stories. It was fun to read about the events from both perspectives but sometimes I wouldn't realize it had changed. Maybe I was too engrossed in the story to notice? I finished quickly - this book was hard to put down. (less)
So this was a page-turner... I read the entire book in one day! (I was sick in bed, but still it surprised me that I finished the whole thing. I had n...moreSo this was a page-turner... I read the entire book in one day! (I was sick in bed, but still it surprised me that I finished the whole thing. I had not intended to.) Divergent is another excellent novel to come out of the young-adult distopian society genre. I liked Roth's idea to create 5 factions of society based around personality types. I could not see myself in the dauntless faction, but very much liked the idea of the abnegation and amity factions. The quiz at the end of the story, however, tells me I'm to belong with the erudite. Beatrice is a strong female main character. Always a good thing in my opinion.
Book 2 is now available, and I've heard the movie rights for this one have been sold. (less)
As a child, I did a class presentation on Persephone, Queen of the Underworld and the reason for the seasons. The story has since remained a favorite...moreAs a child, I did a class presentation on Persephone, Queen of the Underworld and the reason for the seasons. The story has since remained a favorite of mine, and when I read that it was the premise for this book I could not wait to get my hands on it. When I came across it in the store I could not resist. The cover and teasers fueled my intrigue.
Much to my disappointment, Meg Cabot did not deliver. Pierce Oliviera died at age 15 and hasn't been the same since. She moves to Isla Huesos with her mother for a fresh start, but it turns out Isla Huesos was where her problems all began. Pierce is not a likeable character. Nor is John (the Hades counterpart) and the relationship between the two of them is contrived and boring.
Great idea. Terrible execution. And then, when you get to the end of the book nothing is resolved. Lame! If you are going to write a trilogy, shouldn't each novel stand on its merit alone?? (less)
You probably know the story of The Little Mermaid, or, you may think you do. This book is a stunning re-creation of the fairy tale, complete with a me...moreYou probably know the story of The Little Mermaid, or, you may think you do. This book is a stunning re-creation of the fairy tale, complete with a mermaid who makes a deal with a sea witch to trade in her tail and her voice for legs so that she can travel to the upperworld and (hopefully) marry a handsome human prince. What I loved about this book was that there was also a princess. Half of the narrative was in the princesses voice and the other half belonged to the mermaid. The princess fell in love with the handsome prince as well. And being as both ladies were protagonists in this novel, I couldn't wait to see how the story ended because I was rooting for them both. (less)
I love Tina Fey and of course reading a book about her life is going to be interesting. And even a little bit funny. I especially enjoyed her chapter...moreI love Tina Fey and of course reading a book about her life is going to be interesting. And even a little bit funny. I especially enjoyed her chapter on motherhood. (less)
When I read the description of this book I thought - bingo! Something I could totally relate to. A mom, trying to balance work and children and marria...moreWhen I read the description of this book I thought - bingo! Something I could totally relate to. A mom, trying to balance work and children and marriage and life and YOGA - just like me! I quickly added the book to my cart and got started on it right away.
That was over two months ago. Granted, I've been very busy in those two months, but for it to take me so long to finish this memoir means it didn't really resonate with me the way I'd hoped it would. I loved the metaphor of tying yoga poses with life, but eventually it began to feel contrived and more like a book about a person's life with some yoga tossed in.
That said, there were some parts of this book that did speak to me, things I'd like to remember and take away from it. Like this quote: "I always had a book, in fact. When I was a kid, and a wish came my way, bu means of an early star or a white horse or a ringed rock, I always wished for the same thing. I wished that I might have the power to enter any book I liked and live there." Wow. If only I had thought of that while I was a kid, rather than wishing for Barbies.
I liked what she learned from an instructor at the Naropa Institute in Boulder, about the uselessness of being good. This is something I plan to remember: "I'm not sure 'good' is a very helpful word. If you're busy being good, you're probably going to miss this. You're going to miss the real stuff that's going on all around you. No, 'good' doesn't really come into it." Truly, I spend way too much time on good.
And as this is an election year and I find myself feeling jaded and uninterested, this quote from a historian she interviewed from Susan B. Anthony: "We will someday be heeded, and... everybody will think it was always so, just exactly as many young people think that all the privileges, all the freedom, all the enjoyments which woman now possesses always were hers. They have no idea of how every single inch of ground that she stands upon today has been gained by the hard work of some little handful of women in the past."
For the yoga side, it was also fun to see the Sanskrit in print: "Samasthiti! Urdhva virasana! Uttanasana! Ardha uttanasana! Chaturanga dandasana! Urdhva mukha svanasana!" (If you've ever been in yoga with a teacher prompting you in Sanskrit - you know exactly how this sounds!)(less)
Ally Condie expertly spent the first part of this book setting up a storyline, so that by the last third of the book I found myself on the edge of my...moreAlly Condie expertly spent the first part of this book setting up a storyline, so that by the last third of the book I found myself on the edge of my seat wanting to see how it would end. "The Society" - the dystopian-future world Condie created intrigues me and leaves me wondering if perhaps this could be where we are heading. I'm hooked and looking forward to reading the rest in this series!(less)
I was drawn to the book by the title. The Lady's Slipper orchid reminded me of the fairy slipper, a rare wildflower that I love to look for in my Colo...moreI was drawn to the book by the title. The Lady's Slipper orchid reminded me of the fairy slipper, a rare wildflower that I love to look for in my Colorado mountains and have only seen a couple of times. I was curious to see how the author could take the lady slipper orchid and write an entire book around it. It did not disappoint. (less)
Book 3 in The Hunger Game series did not live up to the promise created by the other 2 books. It was a bit of a let down, but it did provide closure t...moreBook 3 in The Hunger Game series did not live up to the promise created by the other 2 books. It was a bit of a let down, but it did provide closure to the story.(less)
As we reached the end of the school year, I let my class vote on this book, or Charlotte's Web as our last read aloud. I told them that I absolutely l...moreAs we reached the end of the school year, I let my class vote on this book, or Charlotte's Web as our last read aloud. I told them that I absolutely loved Charlotte's Web but didn't know much about this one, except that it looked creepy.
The vote was unanimous.
The Shadows was a creepy crowd-pleaser. Olive moved into an old house with her parents and discovered that she could enter the strange paintings when wearing a magical pair of spectacles. There were some dark elements to the story but overall my class paid excellent attention and we all wondered how it would end. The addition of 3 talking cats made the story memorable.
While the story was engaging and my class enjoyed it, I am more likely to continue to share Charlotte's Web with future classes than this one. (less)
This latest book by Carol Goodman was a satisfying read. I love her novels but have been a bit disappointed in her recent ones. As one of my favorite...moreThis latest book by Carol Goodman was a satisfying read. I love her novels but have been a bit disappointed in her recent ones. As one of my favorite authors, I'm glad she is getting back on track!(less)
Bloodroot mountain, the setting of this story, is so well described I visited it in my dreams at night. The setting is strongest piece to the story fo...moreBloodroot mountain, the setting of this story, is so well described I visited it in my dreams at night. The setting is strongest piece to the story for me. The rest, the telling of the life of Myra Odom through people she was connected with as well as through her own voice, was a dark story and not one I care to revisit. Someone compared this book to Wuthering Heights. (less)
Loved this little book. Written as a letter to her daughters, I found myself feeling like I could have been the one to write it many times throughout....moreLoved this little book. Written as a letter to her daughters, I found myself feeling like I could have been the one to write it many times throughout. Corrigan talks about memories and impermanence:
"I heard once that the average person barely knows ten stores from childhood and those are based more on photographs and retellings than memory. So even with all the videos we take, the two boxes of snapshots under my desk, and the 1,276 photos in folders on the computer, you'll be lucky to end up with a dozen stories. You won't remember how it started with us, the things that I know about you that you don't even know about yourselves. We won't come back here."
She goes on to talk about how the person she is as her children are young and she is writing is different than the person she will be when they are older. I understand that feeling all too well as I struggle to make memories with my small children every day and to fully grasp and appreciate each moment, be it amazing and wonderful or frustrating and difficult.
I also enjoyed her writing style to her daughters - she surprised me by writing to them as though they were mature adults when reading. Whenever I think of writing to my kids it is with their childish nature in mind. It's interesting to think about their adult take on things. She says, "I don't know when you'll read this. Maybe when you're a teenager? No, probably later, when you're on the verge of parenthood and it occurs to you for the first time that someone has been loving you for that long."
It took my breath away near the end when Corrigan talked about the tender moments she and her girls share when she tells them they were her dream. In Bree's room above her window is a plaque that reads, "I am a dream come true" and I tell her, and will tell her brother, that they are my dreams come true. (less)
A collection of stories by children's authors. Each one had to include the phrase "I fooled you." This was fun to read aloud to my 2nd graders and was...moreA collection of stories by children's authors. Each one had to include the phrase "I fooled you." This was fun to read aloud to my 2nd graders and was a great way to show how different ideas can be even when writing about the same topic. (less)
Tana French has me hooked on her psychological mystery series from The Dublin Murder Squad. I am engaged in these stories and so glad to discover that...moreTana French has me hooked on her psychological mystery series from The Dublin Murder Squad. I am engaged in these stories and so glad to discover that there is a 4th book! Her protagonists are strong and relatable, and her novels leave me wanting more! (less)
This book was sent to me from a good friend in Australia. I found the melancholy story engaging and different from anything I've read before. I was tr...moreThis book was sent to me from a good friend in Australia. I found the melancholy story engaging and different from anything I've read before. I was transported to the New South Wales of 100 years ago,accompanied by a bit of magical undertones and a deplorable villain. I found the ending satisfying as well. (less)
Her Fearful Symmetry, for me, was a quirky ghost story and unlike anything I have ever read or even imagined. I found the characters very interesting...moreHer Fearful Symmetry, for me, was a quirky ghost story and unlike anything I have ever read or even imagined. I found the characters very interesting and well-developed. The setting was critical to the plot and there were many surprises. I enjoyed this book! I wonder what Niffenegger will think up next.(less)
Mrs. Mimi is in the trenches. She is a real teacher who relates her experiences in the teaching world openly. I have to admire her stark honesty in th...moreMrs. Mimi is in the trenches. She is a real teacher who relates her experiences in the teaching world openly. I have to admire her stark honesty in this book, she didn't pull any punches and I wonder if it got her into some trouble at her school. This isn't a sappy, inspirational book about life as a teacher, it is true grit.
I was first introduced to Mrs. Mimi's blog of the same name by my teacher friend Marika. It was very exciting to see that a publisher discovered it and turned it into a book!
Mrs. Mimi talks about her experiences as a second grade teacher in Harlem. Despite the geographical difference, I was able to relate to just about everything in this book. I teach second grade in Colorado, and the teachers here have the same struggles as she described! Okay, so I'm not stepping over hair extensions and chicken bones as I walk into school, but I do see red when I watch the custodian dump the carefully separated recycle basket full of paper into the regular trash can with all of the other trash. I lament the extra work created for me by the "support" staff. I, too, have sat in a staff meeting while someone else presented an idea that I showed to her, without getting any credit for it. I am not in a "testing grade", but I get to spend endless amounts of time assessing my students rather than teaching them. I hope and pray the night before a field trip that the parents coming with us will be helpful and not "the pain in the ass" type.
I enjoyed laughing with Mrs. Mimi throughout this book. Amongst the ranting, she also explains why she loves being a teacher. To quote, "If I have learned anything about teaching in my short time in the classroom, it is that a teacher has to be willing to constantly reinvent herself, finding ways to stay positive and motivated." This book helped me do that, again. I am looking forward to taking it to school tomorrow and sharing it with a super colleague. (less)
What impresses me most about both this book and The Hunger Games is Collins' ability to keep me reading. Like most people, I try to stop reading at th...moreWhat impresses me most about both this book and The Hunger Games is Collins' ability to keep me reading. Like most people, I try to stop reading at the end of a chapter so that I am not lost when I pick the book up again. With these books that is impossible. Collins is a master of suspenseful cliffhangers, I simply could not stop reading.
Except that I finished the book. And it ended with a major cliffhanger. And the third one isn't out yet. Crap!!(less)
One of my favorite things to do when traveling is to find the perfect book to go with my trip. I often look for books with settings similar to the pla...moreOne of my favorite things to do when traveling is to find the perfect book to go with my trip. I often look for books with settings similar to the place I will be, thus for my trip to Montauk, Long Island I chose a book set in Nantucket.
The Castaways are a group of four couples, friends who all live on the island. One of the couples dies in a boating accident, leaving the rest of the friends to cope with the deaths. Each chapter is told by a different person, representing the lives of the castaways from six different perspectives as they try to sort out their feelings and find answers to questions surrounding the circumstances of the accident.
Initially, I had a difficult time with this book and wasn't excited to read it. I had been looking for a fun, engrossing beach read and wasn't expecting to read about people dealing with grief over the loss of friends. However, by the second half of the book I found myself invested in the characters. Hilderbrand (in this novel - the only one of hers I've read)does what Anita Shreve does so well, she creates personalities of people that feel real to me by the time I've finished the book. (less)
Another great idea for a book, and I did enjoy it. It felt like it was written for a young adult crowd, which it was, but I am partial to the "young a...moreAnother great idea for a book, and I did enjoy it. It felt like it was written for a young adult crowd, which it was, but I am partial to the "young adult" books that cross the lines and are simply well written. (less)
Quick read, and like the rest of the Twilight series I did enjoy this novella. This is the first occasion I've had to read the same story from the per...moreQuick read, and like the rest of the Twilight series I did enjoy this novella. This is the first occasion I've had to read the same story from the perspectives of other characters, and I appreciate Meyer's willingness to do that. Some parts of this book were a bit cheesy overall, but I was impressed with the way it held my attention even though we know how it ends. (less)
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