Kate Messner's Blog, page 34

Eli the Good by Silas House

So what's to say about ELI THE GOOD?  I loved this book, despite a burst of bad attitude last week that made me impatient with its gorgeous descriptions for a day or so.  You can read more about that here, or not.



ELI THE GOOD is one of those stories where setting -- place and especially time -- take center stage. The year is 1976 -- a year I remember for our town's bicentennial parade and because I spent most of it angry that I wasn't allowed to ride my bike to the park alone.  Eli remembers ...

Impatient Saturday: Books I'm Dying to Read

One of the dangers of having sometimes-access to advance reader copies of books is that it makes it extra-difficult to wait for anything that's not out yet. And have you noticed there are some incredible books on the way for Fall 2010 and Spring 2011?  Here's my current can't-wait list:

Horton Halfpott by Tom Angleberger (Amulet)
Angleberger's Strange Case of the Origami Yoda made me a fan.

The Popularity Papers Book Two: A Record of the Continued Transatlantic Discoveries of Lydia Goldblatt...

Friday Five: Barbecue & Books

1. I'm thinking the leaves must be turning higher up in the mountains by now, right?  We're hoping to climb Mt. Jo in the Adirondacks tomorrow  & then collapse at a picnic table here for some barbecued chicken and ribs. Good plan, no?

2. The official schedule is out for ALAN in Orlando this November, and I keep checking to make sure that's really my name on there, in such amazing company.  I'm giving a breakout session with Jo Knowles, David Macinnis Gill, and Chris Crowe - can't wait!

3. Plans...

Sometimes it's not the book...it's the reader.

I had an experience as a reader this week that got my teacher-brain thinking about books and kids, and why the right book at the right time is such a very important concept for us to keep in mind.

I've been reading this book...



...and loving it.  ELI THE GOOD by Silas House is a beautifully written story about a ten-year-old boy whose family is facing the challenges of change in 1976 -- a father haunted by memories of Vietnam, a crazy aunt who's appeared with a mysterious problem, and a teenage...

Gianna Z. sighting!

A few friends & teachers have also sent notes letting me know they've spotted (and ordered!) Gianna Z. in the September Scholastic ARROW book club flyer, but until one of my 6th grade colleagues stopped by my room with one this week, I hadn't seen the actual flyer. Then my sister-in-law Linda, who teaches in Rochester, NY posted this photo to her Facebook page yesterday... 



I love that it's in the "Real Kids Like You" section.  So often, kids who write to  me about Gianna tell me that's why t...

Book challenges, Gianna Z. paperback, Skype, Scrivener & PBS

Well, I think that subject line should just about cover it.

Yes, this is one of those mix-of-everything blog posts, mostly because I'm  back to teaching, and so half my brain is at any given moment occupied by thinking about which kid is going to love which book and making stacks next to my lunch bag.  But I do have some newsy, linky things...

This brings me great joy... There will soon be a Scrivener 2.0 release with nifty updates. Scrivener is right up there with chocolate on my list of thing...

STOLEN by Lucy Christopher

Never get into bed thinking you'll read "just another page or two" of a psychological thriller, especially when you're within a hundred pages of the end.  Here is the reason I'm a bit bleary-eyed this morning...



...and I'm not sorry. Not one bit.  Lucy Christopher's YA novel STOLEN is just magnificent.

16-year-old Gemma is kidnapped from the Bangkok airport when a handsome stranger (but he looks familiar...he is a stranger, right?) buys her coffee, drugs it, and hurries her away from the gate w...

Friday Five: Back to School Edition

1. This was back-to-school week, for me as a 7th grade English teacher and for my two kids. It kicked off with a bang, as I realized Wednesday night that I was supposed to be at a cross country meet and two parent orientation meetings simultaneously.  Have we mastered that cloning technology yet?  Thankfully, my daughter's teacher served these amazing peppermint patty brownies at her meeting - hello, dinner.

2. Today, we'll start our first read-aloud of the year in my classroom.  It's Sharon D...

Need a Calculator for your iPad? I know just the guy...

You may have noticed that even though I have two kids, they don't often make appearances here. I don't post photos or even mention them without their permission because, you know, they're not the ones writing a blog and they have the right to some privacy even though Mom's an author.  But today I've been given rare clearance to blog about something cool in the life of my 14-year-old son.  After months of teaching himself how to write code for iPhone and iPad applications, one of his apps has ...

Writing Advice, Sugar and Ice Giveaway, & My Classroom Library

Two quick things today...

First, I'm guest-blogging over at lesleysays   today on the topic of making time to write. Whenever I give workshops for writers or teachers, the number one question I get is, "You teach full time and have a family? How do you find time to write?"  This blog post answers that question in detail with some thoughts on making time for some things and letting other things go.

Second, there's a SUGAR AND ICE giveaway going on over at GoodReads.  If you're a member of...