The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
SPRING CHALLENGE 2013
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50.1 - Ms Anderson's task: Two Truths and a Lie
These Were Approved:A Summer to Die
The Midwife's Apprentice
A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-32
The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen
Garden Princess
A Tangle of Knots
Marco Impossible
Breadcrumbs
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life
This Journal Belongs to Ratchet
The Lightning Thief
Moon Over Manifest
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
A Wrinkle in Time
The City of Ember
The People of Sparks
The Book of Blood: From Legends and Leeches to Vampires and Veins
Rules of the Road
Lyddie
The Mailbox
The Goats
The Book of Three
Finding books labeled "Middle Grade" can be tough. Here are some that I've read and really enjoyed! I'll also use this to post books other people recommend throughout the thread, so you don't need to dig too much.~~~~
From Me:
Out of My Mind
The Running Dream
Hidden Talents
The Supernaturalist
The Long Winter (most of the Little House books will work--only 9 and 10 won't; this just happens to be my favorite)
The Great Fire
An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 (I've only read selections from it, but it's interesting)
Who Done It? (I used it in this task)
Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made (I used this for this task, too)
Bucking the Sarge
No More Dead Dogs
Schooled
A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-32
The Quilt Walk (the last book I used)
From My Students:
Wonder
The True Meaning of Smekday
From All of You:
to come
Do these work-A Summer to Die
I love reading this author
The Midwife's Apprentice
I'm a midwife (not really)
A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-32
I keep a journal
Thanks
Kathy G. wrote: "Do these work-A Summer to Die
I love reading this author
The Midwife's Apprentice
I'm a midwife (not really)
A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-32
I keep a journal
Thanks"
All of these work! Enjoy!
Awesome task! Off to find some books, LOL!
Can it be something as simple as reading an author named Ellen and saying my mom's name is Ellen?
Hey, Ms A.: could I have The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen approved? Middle Grade is currently the last shelf on the list, so that might change before I have a chance to read the books for this task. Thanks!
Some but not all of the The 39 Clues:Cahill vs. Vespers series are marked as Middle Grade. Some are marked at Juvenile. I really want to read these for this task. Can I get approval for the Series eventhough not all of the books are classified the same by people?
Jayme VA wrote: "Can it be something as simple as reading an author named Ellen and saying my mom's name is Ellen?"It can be exactly that simple. The truths and lie, however, should relate more to you than to others (so if you wanted to say "My name is Ellen" and have it be your lie, that'd be better).
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Jen wrote: "Hey, Ms A.: could I have The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen approved? Middle Grade is currently the last shelf on the list, so that might change before I have a chance to read the books for t..."
I will approve this! If the genre listing does change before you claim points, refer back to my approval :D
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April wrote: "Some but not all of the The 39 Clues:Cahill vs. Vespers series are marked as Middle Grade. Some are marked at Juvenile. I really want to read these for this task. Can I get approval for the Series ..."
Only the ones that are listed as Middle Grade will work for the task, but you're welcome to use any of the series that have the proper genre listing. I wish the genres were more consistent, trust me!
Arrgh! I went to the Middle Grade genres page and most books in there don't have Middle Grade in the main page!!!!
I went to my daughters bookshelf grabbed books that looked good. I looked them up and plan to read the ones that work.
here are the 3 I'm probably reading (if anyone needs suggestions), which I found on the middle grade "new release" page. Garden Princess
A Tangle of Knots
Marco Impossible
This is fun!! Can I have these three approved (or disapproved)?1. The Invention of Hugo Cabret - The book is about silent movies, which I'm pretty crazy about too.
2.
- The walking on the train tracks on the cover - I've no idea how many times I've done the same thing on the train tracks next to my house while growing up.3. The Lightning Thief - As awesome as my dad is, I'm pretty sure he's not a Greek God.
Mod
my choices- just want to make sure they fit... Breadcrumbsby Anne Ursu - I love fairytale retellings
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Lifeby James Patterson - Middle school was the worst years of my life
and
This Journal Belongs to Ratchet by Nancy J. Cavanaugh - keep a journal- this one is the lie
This is a great opportunity for me to read more Newbery winners! (I have a goal of trying to read them all.) Can I get A Wrinkle in Time approved? Currently, Childrens>Middle Grade is the last genre on the main page.
I have found a book about gifted students. Though I was never placed into a gifted class(we did not have them when I was in school-just chalk and slates), I have taught many gifted students and one of my own children was placed in such classes---is that a near enough fit to my life?
Awesome task, Ms. A. Just what I needed, another excuse to buy more books at the school book fair this week!
Can I get these approved?The City of Ember
The People of Sparks
The Book of Blood: From Legends and Leeches to Vampires and Veins
I don't normally choose to read books in this age group, so I never really paid attention to the new children's book rule that was implemented recently. Will that new rule exclude any of the above books?
D.G. wrote: "Arrgh! I went to the Middle Grade genres page and most books in there don't have Middle Grade in the main page!!!!"Anna wrote: "I went to my daughters bookshelf grabbed books that looked good. I looked them up and plan to read the ones that work."
As soon as I get a chance I'm going to post a list of books that I'd recommend that definitely work for the task. I just got home from work and I have a few errands to run, so expect to see at least a few suggestions this evening.
I've NEVER had good luck looking at the genre pages, regardless of what I'm looking for. But finding books is part of the challenge, right? :D
Ty wrote: "here are the 3 I'm probably reading (if anyone needs suggestions), which I found on the middle grade "new release" page. Garden Princess
A Tangle of Knots
Marco Impossible"
All approved!
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Chaitra wrote: "This is fun!! Can I have these three approved (or disapproved)?
1. The Invention of Hugo Cabret - The book is about silent movies, which I'm pretty crazy about too.
2. [bookcover:Moon Over Manifes..."
All approved!
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JennRenee wrote: "awesome task!
my choices- just want to make sure they fit... Breadcrumbsby Anne Ursu - I love fairytale retellings
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Lifeby James Patterson - Middle school wa..."
All approved!
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Ann A wrote: "This is a great opportunity for me to read more Newbery winners! (I have a goal of trying to read them all.) Can I get A Wrinkle in Time approved? Currently, Childrens>Middle Grade is the last gen..."
Approved here--if it gets bumped off the list, refer back to this when you post.
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Wanda wrote: "I have found a book about gifted students. Though I was never placed into a gifted class(we did not have them when I was in school-just chalk and slates), I have taught many gifted students and on..."
That'll work.
Valorie wrote: "Can I get these approved?The City of Ember
The People of Sparks
The Book of Blood: From Legends and Leeches to Vampires and Veins
I don't normally choose to read books in this age group, so I nev..."
All approved.
And no, the children's book rule does NOT apply to my task! If you find something under 300 pages (but more than 100) you'd like to read, go ahead and read it!
Andy P.Are any of these books acceptable?
Rules of the Road
The Goats
Lyddie
The Red Pony
The Pearl
We All Fall Down
The Mailbox
Shawn H.Just to clarify...these three do not have to be over 300 pages?
Are these acceptable?
The Giver
A Wrinkle in Time
The Book of Three
And any of the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Andy wrote: "Andy P.Are any of these books acceptable?
Rules of the Road
The Goats
Lyddie
The Red Pony
The Pearl
We All Fall Down
The Mailbox"
Rules of the Road, The Goats, Lyddie, and The Mailbox all approved.
The Red Pony, The Pearl, and We All Fall Down don't have "Middle Grade" listed on the genre list on the book's page, so they will not work.
Shawn wrote: "Shawn H.Just to clarify...these three do not have to be over 300 pages?
Are these acceptable?
The Giver
A Wrinkle in Time
The Book of Three
And any of the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis"
A Wrinkle in Time and The Book of Three are approved.
Neither The Giver nor the Narnia books appear to have "Middle Grade" listed so they won't work.
I'm having no trouble finding a lie, but I'm not sure about the truth. Would you accept The Wheel on the School because storks never came to our town (or anywhere else in Australia)?
Ms Anderson, so creative as always. Reminds me of the time we did a variation of this at our library's staff (telling a truth about ourselves that didn't apply to anyone else in the small group we'd been divided into). The outside speaker couldn't understand why we all howled with laughter when one staff member said with a lady-like smirk, "I sleep with my minister." (She's married to him.)
Do these options work? Bridge to Terabithia
Odd and the Frost Giants
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Haven't figured my two truths and a lie options yet, just trying to figure out some middle-grade reads I have access to.
Awesome task, Ms. Anderson! Does these work? I'm just trying them out..
1. Breadcrumbs - I love fairy tales too (Thanks, JennRenee)
2. When You Reach Me - I time-traveled (could be the truth - but unfortunately not :()
3. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate - I was real close with my grandfather (even more than my parents)
4. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making - I love books with illustration/my mother goes to work?
5. Wonder - Haven't figured this out yet
Ms Anderson wrote: "Valorie wrote: "Can I get these approved?The City of Ember
The People of Sparks
The Book of Blood: From Legends and Leeches to Vampires and Veins
I don't normally choose to read books in this ag..."
Great! Thanks!
Here are some I've found with middle school listed. Annie, Between the States, Fever 1793 and the whole Fablehaven series.
The first book of the Artemis Fowl series doesn't have 'Middle Grade' in the main page so it won't work. Don't know about the rest.
My tentative list: 1. James and the Giant Peach - As a child, I spent a lot of time in a ramshackle house at the top of a hill where you could see the sea far away (this is true)
2. Over Sea, Under Stone - I'm one of 3 siblings (also true)
3. The Westing Game - Need to figure out the lie, LOL!
I started the first one already (found the audiobook at my library narrated by Jeremy Irons!). I'll see about the other two. :)
The second sounds very interesting. I'll wait for your review - it'll work for the Arthurian task..
Coralie wrote: "I'm having no trouble finding a lie, but I'm not sure about the truth. Would you accept The Wheel on the School because storks never came to our town (or anywhere else in Australia)?"I'll accept this. Refer back to this if Middle Grade gets bumped from the genre list.
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Cathy wrote: "Could you please approve
Taran Wanderer
The Dark Is Rising
The Wish"
All work! If Middle Grade gets bumped from the list for Dark Is Rising, then refer back to this approval.
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Katrina wrote: "Do these options work?
Bridge to Terabithia
Odd and the Frost Giants
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Haven't figured my two truths and a lie options yet, just trying to figure out some m..."
These all work. And Edward Tulane makes me cry EVERY SINGLE TIME. I love it so much!
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Vi wrote: "Awesome task, Ms. Anderson!
Does these work? I'm just trying them out..
1. Breadcrumbs - I love fairy tales too (Thanks, JennRenee)
2. When You Reach Me - I time-traveled (could be the truth - b..."
All will work!
~~~~
Keltie Lee wrote: "Just checking on a couple books
The Westing Game
and
Drama
Great task btw, thanks:)"
Both work (and were great!).
~~~~
Cindy wrote: "How about Island of the Blue Dolphins and The Lightning Thief"
Both will work (Lightning Thief was approved in an earlier post).
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Andrea wrote: "How about The Witch of Blackbird Pond, The False Prince and Tuck Everlasting?"
All of these will work. Witch and Tuck both have Middle Grade as the last on the list, so be sure to say they were approved if those disappear.
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Evana wrote: "Here are some I've found with middle school listed. Annie, Between the States, Fever 1793 and the whole Fablehaven series."
Yes, you're right! All of these will work. Fever is great, too, btw.
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Midu wrote: "what about the Artemis Fowl series?"
D.G. wrote: "The first book of the Artemis Fowl series doesn't have 'Middle Grade' in the main page so it won't work. Don't know about the rest."
DG is right. The first one doesn't have Middle Grade on the main page, and I know from my own reading of them that they have to be done in order.
So....it seems like a big problem is that there are lots of books that clearly should be middle grade but aren't currently labeled as such. Is it kosher to start a thread of books that people would like to read that should be shelved that way but aren't, so that each of us can do some shelving to benefit our fellow SRC participants? It just seems wrong to me that some books in a series count while others don't, which is completely subject to the whims of other Goodreads users, rather than being a true reflection of the book's reading level. This is not a level I read at generally, so it's frustrating to find out that of the few books I have an interest in reading, some of them are still not eligible.
Mod
Everything to do with genres is subjective - GR is a crowd sourced website. However, setting up a "you shelve it for me, I'll shelve it for you," is really no different than just shelving it that way for yourself, and is not appropriate for the challenge.
Sandy wrote: "Everything to do with genres is subjective - GR is a crowd sourced website. However, setting up a "you shelve it for me, I'll shelve it for you," is really no different than just shelving it that way for yourself, and is not appropriate for the challenge."That's why I asked....I didn't want to suggest something that was inappropriate.
But the difference between me shelving it for myself and having an SRC group effort is the very crowd-sourcing you describe: one vote is unlikely to move a genre to a book's main page, but if a number of SRC participants voted, it would represent a collective effort to generate more books appropriate for middle-school audiences and improve the quality of genre selection for this genre on Goodreads. (I don't typically shelve anything but the pre-selected to-read/currently-reading/want-to-read choices, but now that I realize how inconsistent the genres are, I'm going to start making more of an effort).
That certainly seems to be within the spirit of Ms. Anderson's task, both in broadening the focus on that particular genre and getting people who don't normally read books from that level engaged in the breadth of what's out there. Or put another way, I think her students would thank us if we're successful.
Mod
If someone reads a book and decides that it fits in the 8-12 year old reading range that is normally considered "middle grade," then they should indeed shelve it that way. This is altogether different from having people simply shelve books that way because someone else wants to read them for this task. If that were acceptable, then it would be fine any time there were a "genre" task, to have someone else add that genre to the book, regardless of whether it really fit, just so that you could use that book for the task. And, speaking as a moderator, I don't want to have to start looking at the genres to see who added them and when, to try to determine whether someone is trying to game the challenge.
The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Dear Mr. Henshaw (other topics)Walk Two Moons (other topics)
Jacob Have I Loved (other topics)
Dragonbreath (other topics)
A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Steven J. Carroll (other topics)Bill Myers (other topics)
Mark Haddon (other topics)
Man! I take half a season off and a million new people join the SRC. Hi, new people!
In honor of all our new participants (well, and all the long-time ones, too), I thought we could play a little game--my favorite one to play with my sixth graders at the beginning of the year. The name is "Two Truths and a Lie," and it's played much as it sounds: you say three statements about yourself, two of which are true and one that is false. You can mix them up however you like, and then everyone tries to guess which is the false one.
We will be doing this with books. Pick three books, two of which relate in REAL ways to your life somehow and one that does not.
For example, I could read:
A: Wonder (I was the new kid in school in fifth grade)
B: Who Done It? (I've met some of the contributing authors)
C: Liesl & Po (I had issues with my parents' other spouses, too)
You don't NEED to tell us which is the fake one, but you do need to post the relation to your life (or not) for each book you choose. The relation doesn't need to be all that creative, either. I could read Little House on the Prairie and say "I'm a girl, just like the narrator" or some middle-grade fantasy and say that I've befriended dragons. Obvious statements are fine.
Oh, and there's one final catch: ALL THREE BOOKS must have the genre "Middle Grade" on the main page. After all, I play this game with my students, and sixth grade is middle school here.
Happy reading, and nice to meet you all!
NOTE: Books with genre "Children" or "Kids" with 100-300 pages may be used for this task
NOTE: Genres "Sequential Art", "Comics", "Comic Book", and "Manga" may be used for this task
Required: Please include your "two truths and a lie" when you post