Robin > Recent Status Updates

Abley's novelization of Can. nonfic is an excellent reminder of the need to keep perspective when examining the actions of individuals/groups in history. This is not the same as exonerating the key players of history - but like Margaret MacMillan's The War That Ended Peace, this book reminds us that the history is ultimately the story of individuals - flawed, real, products of their experiences, choosing, living.

A fascinating and scrupulously researched novelization of the early French colonization of Cape Breton, featuring the young Jesuit Missionary who would go on to become on of Canada's first Roman Catholic martyrs, St. Anthony Dennis. I am reading this as part of my work preparing a First Nation focused oral language novel study unit for an EN10 blended learning course. Lots to compare to local Yukon FN tradition.

Reading as part of preparing storytelling-focused Novel Study units in blended-learning English 10, English 11 and English 12. The stories in the book are loosely connected by the character of Victor (aka Junior) although this is not the same Jr. featured as the title character in TBTDofAPTI. While several of the stories still contain elements of humour, as an entire work is significantly darker than Diary.

So far, a lot of the same information I've gotten from Jean Donaldson, Patricia McConnell and Karen Pryor, but it's always good to reinforce it. Yin's writing is clear, directed to non-scientists and the illustrations by Mark Deamer are entertaining.

Teenager Delaney Maxwell and has been best friends with boy-next-door, Decker, for most of their lives, although things have begun changing between them, almost without either noticing. On Maine winter night, out with their friends, Delaney crashes through the lake ice, and Decker saves her, but the 11 minutes under water and her return to life bring her into contact the odd Troy Varga and an odd new awareness.

Summer reading for my work with the Dept Digital Citizenship & Literacy working group along with Literacy is NOT Enough. So far this book is well laid out, uses the "buzz" words common to education. In an accessible style Ribble outlines 9 essential elements of Digital Citizenship, which are, I think, accurate, providing Essential Questions, Key Issues, Examples, Scenarios & Resources for each.

I want to give it 3.5 stars, although even that makes me feel guilty. I feel like I should like it more - it's erudite, accurate and offers insightful examples. However, I am having great difficulty with some of the implications that social dishonesty is not only the norm but should be deliberately practices. Perhaps that is simply an indication of how "off" I am in terms of my social communication disability. Ug.

So far I'm quite enjoying this take on the ol' Cinderella structure. Cinder has far more in common with Ella as enacted by Drew Barrymore in Ever After than the ever saccharine and woefully-removed-from-historical-myth Disney version with some Star Trek thrown in. While definitely a YA read, it's got some laughs, rounded characters, and while I find the foreshadowing really obvious, it's not completely predictable.