This week's readings seemed to put the "pedal to the metal" so to speak. It was all about taking what we have learned through class and mentor texts to create carefully crafted stories of our own. "Growing a Narrative from Beginning to End" is the title for chapter five in Mentor Texts, and that is … Continue reading Happy Like Adventures →

“When we write, our entire lives are like a stretch of mountains and we can choose where to dwell.” -Barry Lane, After THE END Reading the National Council of Teachers of English Position Statements this week was truly wonderful. I have never found such a clear, well-written philosophy or creed on the topic of writing. … Continue reading Going Deeper, Adding Details, and Elaborating on Ideas →

As much as I love reading, writing has never been enjoyable. My memories of writing are surrounded by feelings of boredom, guilt over not writing enough, and avoidance. Teaching writing is something that is consistently put on the back burner so to say, as reading and spelling (and standardized tests) pushes it out of focus … Continue reading Writing, not a punishment? →

This week I read Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier. I have never read a graphic novel before, and I always thought of graphic novels as just longer comic books. I was wrong. This book was so much fun to read. It was extremely colorful and interactive, and addressed several themes through the illustrations. I noticed the … Continue reading Graphic Novels are Cool →

This week I read Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed and Malala, a Brave Girl from Pakistan/Iqbal, a Brave Boy from Pakistan: Two Stories of Bravery by Jeanette Winter. I responded to these books in a video. Here is the link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/a4cszz7xn8678zf/Movie%20on%2010-29-18%20at%202.40%20PM.mov?dl=0

This week I read Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez & Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation by Duncan Tonatiuh and One Last Word by Nikki Grimes. Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez & Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation by Duncan Tonatiuh follows the real-life story of Sylvia Mendez in Westminster, California and how her family, along with others, … Continue reading Step Back, Step Up →

This week I read The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson. I am not the biggest mystery fan, but I do love historical fiction. This book included both. The Parker Inheritance addressed many hot topics, like racism, bullying, the Jim Crow era, police bias and brutality, homophobia, the LGTBQ community, justice vs. revenge, and our history … Continue reading From Past to Present →

This week I read the novel Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate and Last Stop on Market Street by Matt De La Peña. In reading Crenshaw, I was strongly reminded of Wishtree. Though the story lines were different, I could clearly see the author’s style in both books. First of all, the coloring of both books are … Continue reading Basic Needs →

This week I read Traveling the Blue Road by Lee Bennett Hopkins and Stormy Seas by Mary Beth Leatherdale. I read Stormy Seas first and this was my favorite book that our class has read so far. I loved this book; I loved the format and the feel of the pages, but most of all … Continue reading Hearts of Stone →

This week I read A Crack in the Sea by H. M. Bouwman. This book was very interesting. I found the message and themes of the book worthwhile and inspiring, but the execution a little off. Bouwman states that the anchor for this book was the real-life tale of the slave ship Zong and the tragedies … Continue reading Worlds Travelers →