I finished Learning to Swim yesterday and all in all, it was pretty good. The author did a fabulous job building suspense in such a way that you couldn't stop reading and also couldn't wait for the surprise you knew she had in store. I don't want to give away the ending, but I will let you know that the dad was an honest guy and not involved in the kidnapping whatsoever. I was very happy about that, as you want to see the best in people and he genuinely seemed thrilled when Paul was returned. I don't want to give anything away though in case someone is interested in reading it.
So I've reached (actually exceeded) my reading goal of 42 books in 2013. And that was starting in August when we began blogging. Not too shabby for a mom of three little ones who works full time! I am thinking of making my 2014 goal 75 books. Hopefully I can make that happen. What will your reading goal for 2014 be? Time to start thinking about it. We will be updating our goodreads goal in January. Happy holidays!
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Learning to Swim
I am about 65% through Learning to Swim by Sara Henry. I actually saw this title on the Cincinnati Public Library downloadables page and it sounded really intriguing. I had never heard of the author before, but I really enjoy her style and the plot is engaging.
Summary:
Troy (a girl) is riding on a ferry near Virginia. She sees another ferry crossing paths with hers and sees a young child being thrown overboard. She sees his eyes specifically, pleading with hers and makes the snap decision to jump in. She swims towards where she saw him go under and eventually rescues him. After a long swim to shore, she discovers two somewhat strange things: no one is waiting for him (she was expecting ambulances and a worried set of parents) and there is an adult sweatshirt tied around him, binding his arms to his body so he can't move. This was intentional. Troy probably doesn't make the best decision here. She fails to involve authorities and takes the boy back to her house. She feeds and bathes him and makes sure he is comfortable and then tries to investigate who he is and who did this to him. Paul, the boy, is Canadian and eventually reveals to Troy that he and his mother were kidnapped together. His mother was killed and he was kept in a room for months before thrown off the ferry. His father is still living in Canada.
Troy decides to go and see the father for herself to determine if she thinks he is innocent or was involved in the kidnapping. After their initial visit, she feels that the father, Phillipe, is innocent and therefore reunites the boy with his dad. Paul has really bonded with Troy though, and so Troy accompanies the boy to Canada and stays in the family house for awhile to help ease the transition. Once there, it becomes clear that the lead investigator is suspicious of Phillipe and so Troy starts digging around in the house and on the family's home computer.
Connections:
It's kind of a mystery novel and in some ways reminds me of a couple of my favorite authors: Diane Chamberlain, Jodi Picoult, and Gillian Flynn. Sara Henry really has me curious about Phillipe and if he was really involved in the kidnapping. I also wonder what will happen to Paul if his dad is/was involved.
There have been several real life kidnapping cases, where children are abducted and forced to live in a small, secret space for long periods of time. Most notably, the Ariel Castro victim's in Cleveland, Ohio. Fortunately for Paul, he was only held in captivity for five months, but you can see through the author's details that it has really impacted him. For example, he didn't have any access to laundry, so he could rinse out his own clothes in the sink and hang them to dry. He started doing this at home, even though his father was very wealthy and he had a washer and dryer (and even a family maid to was his clothes for him). He is having a hard time letting go of some of these survival tactics he developed while in captivity.
I'm glad it is winter break, as I know I will have time to finish this book soon and get started on another one. Happy holidays!
Summary:
Troy (a girl) is riding on a ferry near Virginia. She sees another ferry crossing paths with hers and sees a young child being thrown overboard. She sees his eyes specifically, pleading with hers and makes the snap decision to jump in. She swims towards where she saw him go under and eventually rescues him. After a long swim to shore, she discovers two somewhat strange things: no one is waiting for him (she was expecting ambulances and a worried set of parents) and there is an adult sweatshirt tied around him, binding his arms to his body so he can't move. This was intentional. Troy probably doesn't make the best decision here. She fails to involve authorities and takes the boy back to her house. She feeds and bathes him and makes sure he is comfortable and then tries to investigate who he is and who did this to him. Paul, the boy, is Canadian and eventually reveals to Troy that he and his mother were kidnapped together. His mother was killed and he was kept in a room for months before thrown off the ferry. His father is still living in Canada.
Troy decides to go and see the father for herself to determine if she thinks he is innocent or was involved in the kidnapping. After their initial visit, she feels that the father, Phillipe, is innocent and therefore reunites the boy with his dad. Paul has really bonded with Troy though, and so Troy accompanies the boy to Canada and stays in the family house for awhile to help ease the transition. Once there, it becomes clear that the lead investigator is suspicious of Phillipe and so Troy starts digging around in the house and on the family's home computer.
Connections:
It's kind of a mystery novel and in some ways reminds me of a couple of my favorite authors: Diane Chamberlain, Jodi Picoult, and Gillian Flynn. Sara Henry really has me curious about Phillipe and if he was really involved in the kidnapping. I also wonder what will happen to Paul if his dad is/was involved.
There have been several real life kidnapping cases, where children are abducted and forced to live in a small, secret space for long periods of time. Most notably, the Ariel Castro victim's in Cleveland, Ohio. Fortunately for Paul, he was only held in captivity for five months, but you can see through the author's details that it has really impacted him. For example, he didn't have any access to laundry, so he could rinse out his own clothes in the sink and hang them to dry. He started doing this at home, even though his father was very wealthy and he had a washer and dryer (and even a family maid to was his clothes for him). He is having a hard time letting go of some of these survival tactics he developed while in captivity.
I'm glad it is winter break, as I know I will have time to finish this book soon and get started on another one. Happy holidays!
Monday, December 16, 2013
Google Glasses
This weekend I was able to try out Google glasses. My older brother works for Google and he just got a pair last week. (Right now, buying them is pretty exclusive. You have to have an invitation to buy them and they are $1500). But, since my brother owned a pair and we had talked about them in 451, I decided I had to try them on and take a picture. Since he had some inside scoop, I thought I would share a few things I learned about them. First of all, Google is not planning to release them for purchase to the general public until the cost is down to around $500. Secondly, since they are still a very new technology, its abilities are somewhat limited. Here are my honest thoughts:
- The screen you saw while wearing them was a true holographic computer screen, displayed above my right eye, a bit in the distance.
- There were not actual lenses over my eyes...I thought there would be. According to my bro, they will be available with prescription lenses as well.
- The blye part near my right eye could be used as a motion sensor to switch between screens and see new information, kind of like how your finger swipes a smartphone.
Now I know this technically is not independent reading BUT it does connect to 451, so I feel like I can share it on my reading blog.
Monday, December 9, 2013
The Rosie Project
I just started reading this last night, at the recommendation from my mom. We share a Kindle account and she had bought this book and was telling me about it so I decided to give it a go. Couldn't hurt, as it was already paid for!
It seems kind of like a "chick lit" book so far, but I haven't read one of those in awhile, so it's kind of relaxing. The protagonist is a young adult/middle-aged man who has asperger's syndrome. If you know nothing about this, please go back and click on the word Asperger's to take you to an informational piece. Anyways, Don is highly intelligent, a professor. And he is healthy, works out, has a good job, etc. One of his few friends (a common quality of people with asperger's is social awkwardness) suggests he would be a good husband, so he decided to get married. In the first 10% that I've read, Don decided a wife is a good idea, and he may as well make his search for a wife a scientific one. He creates an interest inventory that he gives to women, where their answers must line up to his very specific responses. He goes on two dates (one is more of a young professional's group dinner).
I already know from the back of the book that he is going to meet someone named Rosie who does NOT fit his ideal description of a wife but that love doesn't always follow a mathematical equation. I totally agree with this. I used to have this whole list of qualities that my husband would have to have, and when I met him, I just knew he was the one. The list of criteria didn't really matter, so I'm assuming this is what will happen to Don in regards to Rosie.
I do have a few questions. Hopefully I'll be able to return and update this post at the end of the week; I have a feeling it is going to be a quick read.
It seems kind of like a "chick lit" book so far, but I haven't read one of those in awhile, so it's kind of relaxing. The protagonist is a young adult/middle-aged man who has asperger's syndrome. If you know nothing about this, please go back and click on the word Asperger's to take you to an informational piece. Anyways, Don is highly intelligent, a professor. And he is healthy, works out, has a good job, etc. One of his few friends (a common quality of people with asperger's is social awkwardness) suggests he would be a good husband, so he decided to get married. In the first 10% that I've read, Don decided a wife is a good idea, and he may as well make his search for a wife a scientific one. He creates an interest inventory that he gives to women, where their answers must line up to his very specific responses. He goes on two dates (one is more of a young professional's group dinner).
I already know from the back of the book that he is going to meet someone named Rosie who does NOT fit his ideal description of a wife but that love doesn't always follow a mathematical equation. I totally agree with this. I used to have this whole list of qualities that my husband would have to have, and when I met him, I just knew he was the one. The list of criteria didn't really matter, so I'm assuming this is what will happen to Don in regards to Rosie.
I do have a few questions. Hopefully I'll be able to return and update this post at the end of the week; I have a feeling it is going to be a quick read.
- How do Don and Rosie meet?
- Are there any funny stories of bad dates before he meets her (based on the writing so far, I will predict yes)
- Has this author written any other novels? I'd never heard of him before.
- What about Rosie will not meet Don's ideal criteria? (For example, he wants someone who enjoys red meat and is always on time, among others)
Happy reading!
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Fahrenheit 451
I have always loved teaching Fahrenheit 451. There are many things I love about this book:
- Students almost always enjoy it. Especially because dystopian novels are "in" right now and this somewhat fits the bill.
- Bradbury's writing style is phenomenal. He has such interesting figurative language and imagery…something we will be looking at and discussing in detail later this week.
- Many of his predictions for futuristic America are correct. He predicts we will become complacent, addicted to television and that human relationships will suffer as a result. This is somewhat true, though change television with smartphones and you have yourself a connection!
- I have always loved science fiction books, so the fact that I get to teach an entire sci fi novel just makes me happy!
Currently, my students are all through part one of the novel. We have been introduced to the four main characters: Montag, Mildred, Clarisse, and Beatty. We have been introduced to the setting: futuristic America where technology has really overtaken many of the human relationships and/or responsibilities. And we have been introduced to the conflict: Montag realizes books may have valuable information and perhaps he should stop burning them (his job as a fireman is to burn books in case you have never read the novel).
I saw this video on the news the other day and it totally seemed like something Ray Bradbury might have predicted:
The thought that this could be in our near future is just insane to me! (Though I can't say I wouldn't use it; I'm a big fan of Amazon). I also read an article about it that suggested you could order something online and have it at your door in thirty minutes or less. The article also discusses the current limitations on this service. What an innovative idea! Have you seen this video? What are your thoughts? Any other cool new technologies you know about? I'd love to hear details!
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Bloggers of the Week
Drumroll, please!
For bell 1, I love Gwen's blog, which can be found here. Gwen does a really great job maintaining focus in her posts and providing a lot of specific details from her reading. Yea, Gwen!
In bell 2, Tori is still rockin' the blog with honest, reflective posts and making great connections with texts.
If you are in bell 4, check out Michael Hall's blog. He's done a great job writing with a casual voice and making connections. Keep up the great work!
And finally for bell 5, Maddie has a great first post of the trimester where she asks questions and makes predictions about Unspoken. Perhaps you can help her answer some of her questions if you've read this before.
Also, this week we are quad blogging for the first time and our featured class is Mrs. Bross, who teaches in Z3. Check out her blog here and then make sure to comment on her students' blogs.
For bell 1, I love Gwen's blog, which can be found here. Gwen does a really great job maintaining focus in her posts and providing a lot of specific details from her reading. Yea, Gwen!
In bell 2, Tori is still rockin' the blog with honest, reflective posts and making great connections with texts.
If you are in bell 4, check out Michael Hall's blog. He's done a great job writing with a casual voice and making connections. Keep up the great work!
And finally for bell 5, Maddie has a great first post of the trimester where she asks questions and makes predictions about Unspoken. Perhaps you can help her answer some of her questions if you've read this before.
Also, this week we are quad blogging for the first time and our featured class is Mrs. Bross, who teaches in Z3. Check out her blog here and then make sure to comment on her students' blogs.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Invisible Underwear, Bus Stop Mommies and Other Things True to Life
What a title, right? I started reading this book of columns written by Karen Rinehart before Thanksgiving break and started up again today. She is most definitely a humor columnist. Her topics range from life, child rearing, school, fashion, hobbies, survival, etc. Being a parent of three wee ones, I can totally relate to a lot of her posts and how chaotic parenting young children can be.
Karen retired as a columnist after ten years in the profession and now blogs here. I had a great time reading more of her current work.
Below is one of her recent blog posts:
Karen retired as a columnist after ten years in the profession and now blogs here. I had a great time reading more of her current work.
Below is one of her recent blog posts:
I expect it. I know it’s going to happen. So why do I act surprised, shocked and insulted every time retailers pull out the Christmas merchandise before I've purchased my Halloween candy? I don’t get it.
I wandered into the big box home improvement store in desperate need of a new grill cover, only to find the entire “Outdoor Entertaining” section gone. In its place were inflatable santas, dancing reindeer, singing squirrels and cube shaped, glitter coated illuminated snowmen. I did find a box of ornaments in the shape of a grill, bbq tongs and picnic table. But still no cover for our grill—not even a tiny one for the grill ornament.
A week later, the same store's sales flyer arrived announcing their, “New Expanded Assortment of Holiday Decorations!” What'd they do—temporarily take over the plumbing department too? Below the pictures of pre-lit artificial trees, live poinsettia plants and a wide variety of boxed lights, were cordless powered scissors, drill kits, socket wrench sets and stainless steel gas grills (still no covers). Those are " holiday decorations"? I don’t get it.
Around the corner from my neighborhood, on a busy, narrow, curvy road, a family faithfully fills their front yard with a dozen 30 foot tall inflatables like the ones at the above mentioned store (have yet to see socket wrenches hanging from their trees but it's still early). To date, not a single gawking motorist has driven their car into the zip line Santa, giant bell-ringing, stocking cap-clad inflatable squirrel or neighbor's brick wall. I don’t get that.
A couple weeks before Thanksgiving, I was trolling the mall in search of the Perfect Office Party Dress That Wouldn't Eat Into My Fruitcake Budget. There were Christmas decorations in every square foot of the upscale mall -- 50 foot tall ornately adorned trees, “Holiday Sales” and “One Day Early Shopper Specials” in every store. Little kids were lined up to see Santa. The mall corridors were lined with seasonal-only shops on wheels. The Hallmark store stuffed my favorite line of greeting cards in the stockroom to make way for singing, dancing and flashing Limited Edition ornaments and countless cards with red envelopes.
When I finally realized every perfect party dress required double layers of Spanx or a second mortgage, I surrendered to the humility of wearing last year's dress and started the trek back to my car. As I comforted myself with the knowledge my glove compartment contained a secret stash of ibuprofen and dark chocolate, a strange gleam caught my eye.
I stopped in front of the most inspiring department store window display I'd ever seen—more breath taking than the windows I've had the privilege of fogging up during Christmas weeks spent in New York City, Rome and Paris. This display consisted of nothing but a few clean cardboard boxes and simple lettering on the window: “You might notice our store is kind of bare. We will not deck our halls until after Thanksgiving. Why? We prefer to celebrate one holiday at a time.”
Now that I get. Finally. God Bless you, Nordstrom. God bless us, Everyone.
I wandered into the big box home improvement store in desperate need of a new grill cover, only to find the entire “Outdoor Entertaining” section gone. In its place were inflatable santas, dancing reindeer, singing squirrels and cube shaped, glitter coated illuminated snowmen. I did find a box of ornaments in the shape of a grill, bbq tongs and picnic table. But still no cover for our grill—not even a tiny one for the grill ornament.
A week later, the same store's sales flyer arrived announcing their, “New Expanded Assortment of Holiday Decorations!” What'd they do—temporarily take over the plumbing department too? Below the pictures of pre-lit artificial trees, live poinsettia plants and a wide variety of boxed lights, were cordless powered scissors, drill kits, socket wrench sets and stainless steel gas grills (still no covers). Those are " holiday decorations"? I don’t get it.
Around the corner from my neighborhood, on a busy, narrow, curvy road, a family faithfully fills their front yard with a dozen 30 foot tall inflatables like the ones at the above mentioned store (have yet to see socket wrenches hanging from their trees but it's still early). To date, not a single gawking motorist has driven their car into the zip line Santa, giant bell-ringing, stocking cap-clad inflatable squirrel or neighbor's brick wall. I don’t get that.
A couple weeks before Thanksgiving, I was trolling the mall in search of the Perfect Office Party Dress That Wouldn't Eat Into My Fruitcake Budget. There were Christmas decorations in every square foot of the upscale mall -- 50 foot tall ornately adorned trees, “Holiday Sales” and “One Day Early Shopper Specials” in every store. Little kids were lined up to see Santa. The mall corridors were lined with seasonal-only shops on wheels. The Hallmark store stuffed my favorite line of greeting cards in the stockroom to make way for singing, dancing and flashing Limited Edition ornaments and countless cards with red envelopes.
When I finally realized every perfect party dress required double layers of Spanx or a second mortgage, I surrendered to the humility of wearing last year's dress and started the trek back to my car. As I comforted myself with the knowledge my glove compartment contained a secret stash of ibuprofen and dark chocolate, a strange gleam caught my eye.
I stopped in front of the most inspiring department store window display I'd ever seen—more breath taking than the windows I've had the privilege of fogging up during Christmas weeks spent in New York City, Rome and Paris. This display consisted of nothing but a few clean cardboard boxes and simple lettering on the window: “You might notice our store is kind of bare. We will not deck our halls until after Thanksgiving. Why? We prefer to celebrate one holiday at a time.”
Now that I get. Finally. God Bless you, Nordstrom. God bless us, Everyone.
Mrs. Palmer's comments:
I have to admit, I am one of those people who have had my Christmas decorations up at my house since a week before Thanksgiving, but I do hate when the mall is decked out from October. I really like all of her hyperboles, like "When I finally realized every perfect party dress required double layers of Spanx or a second mortgage" and "There were Christmas decorations in every square foot of the upscale mall -- 50 foot tall ornately adorned trees, “Holiday Sales” and “One Day Early Shopper Specials” in every store." Hyperboles are a literary device that I use frequently when speaking, but not so much when writing. I guess I always fear they will sound cliché, but that is my new goal. Try to incorporate hyperboles into my writing. For Karen Rinehart, it's almost like a trademark.
If you liked this column, you should totally check out her website. There's a ton more where that came from!
If you liked this column, you should totally check out her website. There's a ton more where that came from!
Monday, November 25, 2013
You Know that Feeling...
Only true book lovers know that feeling…
The feeling you get when you stayed up until three in the morning to finish a book.
The feeling you get when you loved characters so much they feel like friends and you genuinely worry about them and their decisions (even if they live in a futuristic dystopian society).
The feeling you get when you wonder if you could write a book like that.
The feeling you get when you know there is another book in the series and can't wait to download it to your kindle in the morning (since 3 a.m. is not a good time to do this).
And experience total let down. I stayed up late finishing The Elite last night, knowing there was a third book in the trilogy called The One. I went to download it this morning, and to my dismay, it won't be available until May 6, 2014. You could say I am one disappointed reader to say the least. Hopefully time will go quickly.
In the meantime, are you reading something great? I have many suggestions on goodreads, but thought I would check with my students for suggestions too. I love sci fi, contemporary fiction, and realistic fiction. I also love a good memoir. Some of my favorite authors include Jodi Picoult, Diane Chamberlain, and now Kiera Cass. Okay, go!
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
The Selection
I didn't want to read The Selection as I thought from the description that it was just trying to copy The Hunger Games and Divergent. The plot sounds so familiar: A new "United States" (this time it is called Illea) where there are different castes of citizens. In The Selection, citizens are either ones, twos, threes, etc. The ones are the most elite and the eights are the poorest caste. America, our beautiful Katniss-like protagonist, is a five. Not quite an "8", which would be like Katniss in district 12, but not exactly elite either...
The plot begins by describing the selection process, where 35 female citizens are chose to be among the women Prince Maxon will marry. They move into the Prince's castle and he dates each of them and narrows down the women as he sees fit. America is in love with a man named Aspen from her hometown, who is a six. Since he is a lower caste, her family would not want them to marry and America reluctantly agrees to apply for the selection, knowing she'll never be selected. But, shocking (not!), she is selected. Early on, Prince Maxon is drawn to America and they become good friends. America tells him the truth about Aspen back in her hometown and they agree to be secret friends; America wants to stay so she can be well fed and her family will continue to receive financial compensation for her being there, so she agrees to give Maxon insider information about the other girls.
The plot thickens as there are multiple attacks on the castle, various disagreements among the women, and a series of elaborate dates. It is kind of The Hunger Games meets The Bachelor.
So you can see why I didn't want to read it. I thought it was just another attempt at fan fiction. But I have to be honest...I love it. I am about 90% through on my Kindle right now and am planning to check out the second book (there are three in the series). Right now, Maxon has narrowed the 35 girls down to 25. Obviously, I can predict that America and Maxon end up together, but I don't think it will happen in this book; I have a feeling that is farther down the line.
The plot begins by describing the selection process, where 35 female citizens are chose to be among the women Prince Maxon will marry. They move into the Prince's castle and he dates each of them and narrows down the women as he sees fit. America is in love with a man named Aspen from her hometown, who is a six. Since he is a lower caste, her family would not want them to marry and America reluctantly agrees to apply for the selection, knowing she'll never be selected. But, shocking (not!), she is selected. Early on, Prince Maxon is drawn to America and they become good friends. America tells him the truth about Aspen back in her hometown and they agree to be secret friends; America wants to stay so she can be well fed and her family will continue to receive financial compensation for her being there, so she agrees to give Maxon insider information about the other girls.
The plot thickens as there are multiple attacks on the castle, various disagreements among the women, and a series of elaborate dates. It is kind of The Hunger Games meets The Bachelor.
So you can see why I didn't want to read it. I thought it was just another attempt at fan fiction. But I have to be honest...I love it. I am about 90% through on my Kindle right now and am planning to check out the second book (there are three in the series). Right now, Maxon has narrowed the 35 girls down to 25. Obviously, I can predict that America and Maxon end up together, but I don't think it will happen in this book; I have a feeling that is farther down the line.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Welcome to 2nd Trimester!
Hello, students! Welcome to your second trimester of blogging. We have a few changes this trimester in regards to blogging, which can be found on the sheet provided in class. But first and foremost, we are reducing the required number of blog posts to one per week. We are also going to provide you with multiple blog post topics, so you should never say, "I don't have anything to blog about."
Since today is the first day of the new tri, you have a couple of tasks with your blog:
1) On my blog page, you need to click on "Enter your blog information here" located on the right-hand side near the top.
2) Enter your blog information. (To do this you need to log in to google, go to blogger, and click VIEW BLOG). Your URL is what you see in the top window. It should NOT look like this:
http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1859117182435443424#editor/target=post;postID=1296302557718526434
If your URL has the word "blogger" in it, you are in edit mode. Your URL should look something like this:
http://masonmrspalmer.blogspot.com/
Enter the information and your class period, EVEN if you had me last trimester. I deleted the old document and started fresh so everyone must enter their blog information.
3) Log in to goodreads. Enter what book you are currently reading and update the page number. Also, update your reading goal if needed. (You may still be working on your reading goal from last trimester, and that is okay. But if you exceeded it, please set a new one).
4) Friend Mrs. Palmer in goodreads. To do this, click on the drop-down arrow to the right of your name. Select "Friends." Then, on the right-hand side go to "find by name or email." Type in "Laura Palmer." Last time I checked (just a couple of days ago), I was third from the bottom. My picture is next to my name, so you should recognize me. Friend a few other people in the class as well. I LOVE seeing your updates.
5) Your final task: write a new post! Your topic idea can come from the handout provided to you yesterday in class. Or, you can tell me what your favorite book was from last trimester and why you liked it so much (could even make it like a book review for your peers). Aim for a solid two-paragraphs and show me that you can do at least one of the following: insert a hyperlink to a webpage, article, etc.; insert a video; or insert a picture.
Once you have accomplished all of the following, I would like you to spend the rest of the class time exploring goodreads, especially checking out your recommendations and adding books to your "Want to read" list. If you don't have recommendations yet, spend some time going back and rating books you've read in the past so you can get recommendations.
Since today is the first day of the new tri, you have a couple of tasks with your blog:
1) On my blog page, you need to click on "Enter your blog information here" located on the right-hand side near the top.
2) Enter your blog information. (To do this you need to log in to google, go to blogger, and click VIEW BLOG). Your URL is what you see in the top window. It should NOT look like this:
http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1859117182435443424#editor/target=post;postID=1296302557718526434
If your URL has the word "blogger" in it, you are in edit mode. Your URL should look something like this:
http://masonmrspalmer.blogspot.com/
Enter the information and your class period, EVEN if you had me last trimester. I deleted the old document and started fresh so everyone must enter their blog information.
3) Log in to goodreads. Enter what book you are currently reading and update the page number. Also, update your reading goal if needed. (You may still be working on your reading goal from last trimester, and that is okay. But if you exceeded it, please set a new one).
4) Friend Mrs. Palmer in goodreads. To do this, click on the drop-down arrow to the right of your name. Select "Friends." Then, on the right-hand side go to "find by name or email." Type in "Laura Palmer." Last time I checked (just a couple of days ago), I was third from the bottom. My picture is next to my name, so you should recognize me. Friend a few other people in the class as well. I LOVE seeing your updates.
5) Your final task: write a new post! Your topic idea can come from the handout provided to you yesterday in class. Or, you can tell me what your favorite book was from last trimester and why you liked it so much (could even make it like a book review for your peers). Aim for a solid two-paragraphs and show me that you can do at least one of the following: insert a hyperlink to a webpage, article, etc.; insert a video; or insert a picture.
Once you have accomplished all of the following, I would like you to spend the rest of the class time exploring goodreads, especially checking out your recommendations and adding books to your "Want to read" list. If you don't have recommendations yet, spend some time going back and rating books you've read in the past so you can get recommendations.
Friday, November 8, 2013
Please Date, Says the State
I read this article from the most recent issue of the Up Front magazine I receive each week. The article is short, but very interesting and somewhat shocked me. The South Korean government is getting more involved in their citizens and their dating life. They are encouraging young adults to meet each other and get married in order to procreate. Some of the reasons why they are encouraging matchmaking is that the country's birth rate has plummeted in recent years and women are getting married later or putting off having children all together so they can focus on their careers. Another reason they are marrying later is that young South Korean couples were traditionally introduced by elderly village women. Now, young couples are facing things such as online matchmaking sites and are skeptical of these. (I would be too).
In order to address the problems with birth rates and declining marriage statistics, the government is organizing matchmaking socials, where they perform background checks on singles, set up parties, and then hope that the young adults will mingle freely...and perhaps find a match.
Why did this interest me? Well, I personally am in the midst of playing matchmaker myself. I have never set anyone up before, but two young adults I know (their identities will remain a mystery) are seriously perfect for each other, so I have gotten them in contact and they are planning to meet soon. I kind of feel like one of those elderly South Korean village ladies. Well, as long as it turns out!
I also think it is interesting that the country of South Korea is so invested in pairing up young couples. It would be so odd if the United States began playing matchmaker and trying to set up citizens in their 20s. The whole concept actually seems somewhat sci fi to me and reminds me of the Matched series by Ally Condie, which you can read about by clicking on the link.
In order to address the problems with birth rates and declining marriage statistics, the government is organizing matchmaking socials, where they perform background checks on singles, set up parties, and then hope that the young adults will mingle freely...and perhaps find a match.
Why did this interest me? Well, I personally am in the midst of playing matchmaker myself. I have never set anyone up before, but two young adults I know (their identities will remain a mystery) are seriously perfect for each other, so I have gotten them in contact and they are planning to meet soon. I kind of feel like one of those elderly South Korean village ladies. Well, as long as it turns out!
I also think it is interesting that the country of South Korea is so invested in pairing up young couples. It would be so odd if the United States began playing matchmaker and trying to set up citizens in their 20s. The whole concept actually seems somewhat sci fi to me and reminds me of the Matched series by Ally Condie, which you can read about by clicking on the link.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Two Books at Once
Since I finished The Midwive's Confession, I feel like a juggling act -- I am reading a couple of books right now, and I suppose I wouldn't have it any other way.
The Fault in our Stars is on digital loan from the library and I am about 25% of the way through. (I started it in the middle of the night last night while I was feeding my youngest and stayed awake to read for an hour!) It seems like it will be a relatively quick read...maybe another day or two. I'm finding the writing to be full of good lines. I've already highlighted several on my kindle app.
One line I found interesting is: "And yet I still worried. I liked being a person. I wanted to keep at it. Worry is yet another side effect of dying." I have been blessed to be healthy; my children are all healthy and no one in my family has suffered an unexpectedly early death. Lucky, I know. I can't imagine how it would feel to be a teenage dying from cancer, or anything for that matter.
The writing style of this book is what initially made me want to read it. The author uses a lot of figurative language in his writing; I could see myself using this book (or at least lines from it) as a mentor text when discussing syntax with my students, as well as imagery. Here are just a few other good lines from the text and what I may use them for in parentheses:
“My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations.” (Metaphor)
“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.” (Diction)
"'I'm in love with you,' he said quietly.
'Augustus,' I said.
'I am,' he said. He was staring at me, and I could see the corners of his eyes crinkling. 'I'm in love with you, and I'm not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I'm in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we're all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we'll ever have, and I am in love with you.' " (Syntax)
“As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.” (Punctuation)
Seriously, this whole book is full of good writing I could use with students. Yeah!
I think I'll have to wait until my next post to write about Secrets She Left Behind. Have a great weekend!
The Fault in our Stars is on digital loan from the library and I am about 25% of the way through. (I started it in the middle of the night last night while I was feeding my youngest and stayed awake to read for an hour!) It seems like it will be a relatively quick read...maybe another day or two. I'm finding the writing to be full of good lines. I've already highlighted several on my kindle app.
One line I found interesting is: "And yet I still worried. I liked being a person. I wanted to keep at it. Worry is yet another side effect of dying." I have been blessed to be healthy; my children are all healthy and no one in my family has suffered an unexpectedly early death. Lucky, I know. I can't imagine how it would feel to be a teenage dying from cancer, or anything for that matter.
The writing style of this book is what initially made me want to read it. The author uses a lot of figurative language in his writing; I could see myself using this book (or at least lines from it) as a mentor text when discussing syntax with my students, as well as imagery. Here are just a few other good lines from the text and what I may use them for in parentheses:
“My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations.” (Metaphor)
“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.” (Diction)
"'I'm in love with you,' he said quietly.
'Augustus,' I said.
'I am,' he said. He was staring at me, and I could see the corners of his eyes crinkling. 'I'm in love with you, and I'm not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I'm in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we're all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we'll ever have, and I am in love with you.' " (Syntax)
“As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.” (Punctuation)
Seriously, this whole book is full of good writing I could use with students. Yeah!
I think I'll have to wait until my next post to write about Secrets She Left Behind. Have a great weekend!
The Midwife's Confession
I can not put this book down. It is SOOOOO good. Before this, I was a diehard Jodi Picoult fan. Would have sworn by her. Not going to lie...I think Diane Chamberlain may be her long-lost sister writer, as their style is so similar and the plotline of The Midwife's Confession could have easily been a product of Picoult. In other words, I have a new author. I just went on goodreads.com and read all of Chamberlain's book summaries and placed a number of them on my "want to read" list.
So the gist: This book goes back and forth across the lifespans of three women: Tara, Emerson, and Noelle. Noelle is the midwife that is mentioned in the title. The three women become friends in college; Noelle is their R.A. and Tara and Emerson are freshmen roommates (These two knew each other prior). Their lives intertwine as they enter adulthood. Tara and Emerson both marry and become mothers; Noelle becomes engaged to a man named Ian. They all live in the same town and see each other regularly. But here's where the plot begins. Noelle surprisingly commits suicide without leaving anything behind. When her friends search through her beloingings, they find a letter written to a woman named Anna; in the letter, Noelle admits to dropping another woman's baby (killing it) and stealing Anna's baby as a replacement. From there, a full out mystery begins, as Tara and Emerson search for Anna...and the truth.
So the gist: This book goes back and forth across the lifespans of three women: Tara, Emerson, and Noelle. Noelle is the midwife that is mentioned in the title. The three women become friends in college; Noelle is their R.A. and Tara and Emerson are freshmen roommates (These two knew each other prior). Their lives intertwine as they enter adulthood. Tara and Emerson both marry and become mothers; Noelle becomes engaged to a man named Ian. They all live in the same town and see each other regularly. But here's where the plot begins. Noelle surprisingly commits suicide without leaving anything behind. When her friends search through her beloingings, they find a letter written to a woman named Anna; in the letter, Noelle admits to dropping another woman's baby (killing it) and stealing Anna's baby as a replacement. From there, a full out mystery begins, as Tara and Emerson search for Anna...and the truth.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
The Best of Mary Schmich
In the B trimester of English I, we are going to be studying various columnists and the art of column writing. Each freshmen English teacher took on the task of reading one collection of columns. I chose The Best of Mary Schmich and I could not be happier with my choice. Mary is a columnist for The Chicago Tribune and I loved her writing style. I felt such a strong connection to her and kind of feel like we should be friends. So many of her columns were ones I connected with on a personal level.
The book as a whole is divided into various categories where you see her best columns, respectively. For example, one section contains all columns on her mother (they are hilarious), another is titled "Holidays", yet another "Chicago." She has a way of taking the small things in life and making them seem important, big. I think my favorite column was one she wrote about her mother and her obsession with leftovers and not wasting anything. So many of her comments reminded me of my own grandmother and her obsession with filling her doggy bag with the remnants of the bread basket. Mary Schmich's column captures this essence of someone who has lived through the Great Depression perfectly.
Here is the column in its entirety. Enjoy!
My mother's motto: You are what you reheat By Mary Schmich, August 27, 2004
Millions of words have been written about the difference between the so-called greatest generation and we wimps who have followed, but after a recent visit from my mother I realize that one aspect of the gap has not been fully addressed:
Leftovers.
To my mother, a refrigerator packed with leftovers is a Goodwill of edibles, a place where second-hand meals unwanted by the persnickety are thrilling to those with more generous attitudes toward food.
To put it another way, reaching into my refrigerator when my mother's in town--or into hers when I'm visiting--is like diving for hidden treasure, only the treasure is apt to be borderline moldy and the only sparkle comes from the tinfoil wrapping.
During any visit from my mother, and for a while after she leaves, I'm apt to reach into the fridge and wonder: What's this? Ah, a foil-covered coffee cup containing five spoonfuls of leftover canned vegetable soup. It wasn't good to begin with. It has not improved with age. But my mother couldn't stand to see it go to waste.
And this? Oh, that's right. It's half a cup of rice Mama scraped off her dinner plate, with a few specks of other food collected in the harvest.
Lifting a piece of foil from a bowl, I recall the conversation that led to the preservation of its contents.
"Honey," my mother had said as I headed toward the disposal with the salad. "Don't throw that away."
"Mother, it's three leaves of greasy, soggy lettuce and one really sorry-looking cherry tomato."
"I'll eat it for breakfast."
"Breakfast? Breakfast is for cereal. Eggs. Scones. Fresh food for a new day."
She had beamed a maternal smile, the kind suggesting that one day when I grew up, I'd understand. "Breakfast is whatever you make it."
That's a beautiful philosophy as applied to life, but some things are hard to stomach at 7 a.m.
Obviously, lovers of leftovers are of all ages, races and creeds, and saving leftovers is the proper thing to do. But I'm talking about the radicals, people who not only save every uneaten molecule of every meal but later eat every last one. And even though we live in an age of sophisticated, disposable, zipping, locking products designed to conserve leftovers, those radicals are likelier to belong to my mother's generation.
Like many people I know, I often forget leftovers I've saved. Until my mother visits.
"Mother, what are you eating?" I'll say when I discover her at some lunch she has rustled up on her own.
"I found this in your refrigerator."
"Oh my God. That's been there for weeks. Doesn't that look a little blue-green to you?"
"It doesn't smell bad. Would you like some?"
My mother also goes to restaurants primarily to hijack leftovers. To her, a restaurant is not a place to eat a meal; it's a place to stock up on future meals. No sooner has the waiter set the plate on the table than she exclaims, "Oh, I am going to have some good leftovers!"
She often leaves with a box containing the leftovers of everyone at the table, as well as the remains of the bread basket. She also likes to stuff her pockets with packets of Sweet'n Low and butter.
"But it's free," she'll say when I note that her jacket is bulging with contraband as we leave.
In truth, I admire that she doesn't take food for granted, and I once asked her to speculate on her passion for saving and consuming food others would deem past its prime. Was it having lived through the Great Depression? World War II?
Maybe, she said, but it was also the result of raising eight kids. She wouldn't eat until we were done, and then she would settle for whatever was on our plates.
She's left town now, and my refrigerator is looking a little less mysterious. But when I tossed out a moldy bread end the other day, I couldn't help a flush of shame as I heard her voice, kind and reasonable: "Honey, that would still be good if you just trimmed the edges."
Source: http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2010/07/mefs.html
The book as a whole is divided into various categories where you see her best columns, respectively. For example, one section contains all columns on her mother (they are hilarious), another is titled "Holidays", yet another "Chicago." She has a way of taking the small things in life and making them seem important, big. I think my favorite column was one she wrote about her mother and her obsession with leftovers and not wasting anything. So many of her comments reminded me of my own grandmother and her obsession with filling her doggy bag with the remnants of the bread basket. Mary Schmich's column captures this essence of someone who has lived through the Great Depression perfectly.
Here is the column in its entirety. Enjoy!
My mother's motto: You are what you reheat By Mary Schmich, August 27, 2004
Millions of words have been written about the difference between the so-called greatest generation and we wimps who have followed, but after a recent visit from my mother I realize that one aspect of the gap has not been fully addressed:
Leftovers.
To my mother, a refrigerator packed with leftovers is a Goodwill of edibles, a place where second-hand meals unwanted by the persnickety are thrilling to those with more generous attitudes toward food.
To put it another way, reaching into my refrigerator when my mother's in town--or into hers when I'm visiting--is like diving for hidden treasure, only the treasure is apt to be borderline moldy and the only sparkle comes from the tinfoil wrapping.
During any visit from my mother, and for a while after she leaves, I'm apt to reach into the fridge and wonder: What's this? Ah, a foil-covered coffee cup containing five spoonfuls of leftover canned vegetable soup. It wasn't good to begin with. It has not improved with age. But my mother couldn't stand to see it go to waste.
And this? Oh, that's right. It's half a cup of rice Mama scraped off her dinner plate, with a few specks of other food collected in the harvest.
Lifting a piece of foil from a bowl, I recall the conversation that led to the preservation of its contents.
"Honey," my mother had said as I headed toward the disposal with the salad. "Don't throw that away."
"Mother, it's three leaves of greasy, soggy lettuce and one really sorry-looking cherry tomato."
"I'll eat it for breakfast."
"Breakfast? Breakfast is for cereal. Eggs. Scones. Fresh food for a new day."
She had beamed a maternal smile, the kind suggesting that one day when I grew up, I'd understand. "Breakfast is whatever you make it."
That's a beautiful philosophy as applied to life, but some things are hard to stomach at 7 a.m.
Obviously, lovers of leftovers are of all ages, races and creeds, and saving leftovers is the proper thing to do. But I'm talking about the radicals, people who not only save every uneaten molecule of every meal but later eat every last one. And even though we live in an age of sophisticated, disposable, zipping, locking products designed to conserve leftovers, those radicals are likelier to belong to my mother's generation.
Like many people I know, I often forget leftovers I've saved. Until my mother visits.
"Mother, what are you eating?" I'll say when I discover her at some lunch she has rustled up on her own.
"I found this in your refrigerator."
"Oh my God. That's been there for weeks. Doesn't that look a little blue-green to you?"
"It doesn't smell bad. Would you like some?"
My mother also goes to restaurants primarily to hijack leftovers. To her, a restaurant is not a place to eat a meal; it's a place to stock up on future meals. No sooner has the waiter set the plate on the table than she exclaims, "Oh, I am going to have some good leftovers!"
She often leaves with a box containing the leftovers of everyone at the table, as well as the remains of the bread basket. She also likes to stuff her pockets with packets of Sweet'n Low and butter.
"But it's free," she'll say when I note that her jacket is bulging with contraband as we leave.
In truth, I admire that she doesn't take food for granted, and I once asked her to speculate on her passion for saving and consuming food others would deem past its prime. Was it having lived through the Great Depression? World War II?
Maybe, she said, but it was also the result of raising eight kids. She wouldn't eat until we were done, and then she would settle for whatever was on our plates.
She's left town now, and my refrigerator is looking a little less mysterious. But when I tossed out a moldy bread end the other day, I couldn't help a flush of shame as I heard her voice, kind and reasonable: "Honey, that would still be good if you just trimmed the edges."
Source: http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2010/07/mefs.html
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Early Reading
This picture was taken last Friday at MECC when I went to guest read to my daughter's kindergarten class (Doesn't she look so much like me? Ha ha). Little kids are sooooo excited about books. I swear they had comments about every page of The Halloween Queen. This is a cute little story of a protagonist (a little girl dressed in a bumble bee Halloween costume) who is scared to go trick-or-treating to the spookiest house on the block. She (oddly) has no parents with her, even though she looks quite young. Nevertheless, she travels door to door and finally gains the courage to go up to the scary house. When she knocks, a woman dressed as a witch answers and waves her inside. To the bumble bee's surprise, there is a fun (and not-so-scary Halloween party inside). The bumble bee girl has fun with all her friends and at the end the witch takes off her mask to reveal......
Drumroll please!
That it is really their favorite teacher in disguise. It is a cute read. We got it from the Mason Public Library and had been reading it all week so Tessa really wanted me to read it to her class.
I am impressed that only two months into kindergarten she is reading simple books aloud by herself. These little minds are sponges and I'm sure she'll be reading Romeo and Juliet like all my 9th graders in the blink of an eye.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Weekend Update
I finished The Kindness of Strangers a few days ago...and I have to be honest. It was a sad book. It almost reminded me of Pelzer's A Child Called It but instead of just physical child abuse, it was sexual abuse. Knowing that, the details were not particularly graphic (which I appreciated). They were more about the emotional effects the abuse had on Jordan, the victim.
I read a few other articles about childhood abuse that I found interesting and wanted to link to:
APA: This link is very informational about what do do if one suspects abuse and how to help a childhood victim.
Facts and Frequency: This site offers a number of facts and statistics regarding sexual abuse of children and astounded me. I didn't realize the numbers were as high as they are.
I think this book is definitely more for adults of mature high school students due to the subject matter.
My new book is called The Midwife's Confession. It was another goodreads suggestion and though I'm only about 5% in, so far it is very well-written and intriguing. The author, Diane Chamberlain, is one that shows up frequently on my goodreads recommendations, so I'm looking forward to trying her out!
Watch this video to check out Diane Chamberlain talking about where she gets her inspiration for her books! I'll update as I read more!
I read a few other articles about childhood abuse that I found interesting and wanted to link to:
APA: This link is very informational about what do do if one suspects abuse and how to help a childhood victim.
Facts and Frequency: This site offers a number of facts and statistics regarding sexual abuse of children and astounded me. I didn't realize the numbers were as high as they are.
I think this book is definitely more for adults of mature high school students due to the subject matter.
My new book is called The Midwife's Confession. It was another goodreads suggestion and though I'm only about 5% in, so far it is very well-written and intriguing. The author, Diane Chamberlain, is one that shows up frequently on my goodreads recommendations, so I'm looking forward to trying her out!
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Blog of the Week
This week I'd like you to check out Ashley's blog here. I really like her post from September 26, where she uses images and pictures to discuss theme. Such a unique idea! Make sure you check out her blog and leave a comment!
Monday, October 14, 2013
The Kindness of Strangers
I just started The Kindness of Strangers last night. It was one of my suggested books on goodreads and I'm so glad I downloaded it from OverDrive through the Cincinnati Public Library. I have to say though, it is sad, sad, sad. And I'm only about 25% of the way through. The title sounds like it might be an uplifting read, but well...it is not. I think it may turn that way though.
Basic plot is there are two families that have grown close over the past four years when one of the two families moved near the other one. In one family. there is a mom and her two sons (her husband, Roy, passed away of cancer two years prior). The other family is a mom, dad, and Jordan, an only child. The first mom find Jordan walking to school in the rain one morning and picks him up, insisting he ride with her to school. But he was acting all out of sorts and insisted she stop at a gas station so he could use the restroom; he says he is going to be sick. She does. He goes inside, but never comes out. After waiting for awhile, she decides maybe he needs help or is really sick. She finds something else completely - Jordan has attempted suicide by stabbing himself with a needle filled with drugs in his neck. He is foaming at the mouth and unconscious. She drags him to her car and hightails it to the nearest hospital, calling to say they were on their way. And what the doctors and nurses uncover is long-standing sexual abuse. After a home search, they find that he has been a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of his father for quite some time.
This book is gripping. It is sad. And definitely for mature readers. The summary on the back of the book suggests that the other family is going to foster young Jordan, which I think will introduce more conflict, as the kids are not exactly friendly with each other. And I hope and pray for a happy ending this time around. It is one of the saddest beginnings of a book I have ever read...
Basic plot is there are two families that have grown close over the past four years when one of the two families moved near the other one. In one family. there is a mom and her two sons (her husband, Roy, passed away of cancer two years prior). The other family is a mom, dad, and Jordan, an only child. The first mom find Jordan walking to school in the rain one morning and picks him up, insisting he ride with her to school. But he was acting all out of sorts and insisted she stop at a gas station so he could use the restroom; he says he is going to be sick. She does. He goes inside, but never comes out. After waiting for awhile, she decides maybe he needs help or is really sick. She finds something else completely - Jordan has attempted suicide by stabbing himself with a needle filled with drugs in his neck. He is foaming at the mouth and unconscious. She drags him to her car and hightails it to the nearest hospital, calling to say they were on their way. And what the doctors and nurses uncover is long-standing sexual abuse. After a home search, they find that he has been a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of his father for quite some time.
This book is gripping. It is sad. And definitely for mature readers. The summary on the back of the book suggests that the other family is going to foster young Jordan, which I think will introduce more conflict, as the kids are not exactly friendly with each other. And I hope and pray for a happy ending this time around. It is one of the saddest beginnings of a book I have ever read...
Friday, October 11, 2013
Where'd You Go, Bernadette? By Maria Semple
There were a number of young women in my 9th grade English classes that chose to read Where'd You Go, Bernadette? for their summer reading novel, so I put it on my goodreads list and it finally became available on OverDrive last week. It is written in a multi genre format, which normally I love, but I'm not sure I do this time around. The plot is unique - It takes place in Seattle, where a bigwig Microsoft exec's wife, Bernadette, basically goes off the deep end. After living in Seattle for over ten years, she has not a friend to her name, except Mandala, a women she has become friends with online, who it ends up is a scam trying to get her money. (So far, Bernadette has sent Mandala social security numbers of her family members, bank account information, credit card numbers...it's not looking pretty). Meanwhile, her husband is trying to get a doctor to commit her to a temporary hold in a psychiatric hospital, both against her will and without her knowing. Meanwhile, their teenage daughter narrates the part of the story that isn't written in the multi genre format. She is just like any teenage girl, trying to fit in and find her place among her friends. I am about halfway through at this point and am really curious about what is going to happen next.
Here are a few questions I have:
Here are a few questions I have:
- Where is Bernadette going to go? Is she going to leave in the physical sense, or is the title referring to her "leaving" mentally?
- We just met her dad's brother, who is going to be staying with the daughter while Elgie (the big wig) attempts to get Bernadette placed in a psychiatric hospital. Van (the brother) lives in Hawaii and definitely seems to have a free spirit. Is he going to become a main character, or will his visit be short-lived?
- Will Elgie be successful in committing Bernadette?
- What is going to happen to their Antarctic adventure? (They are currently planning and about to leave on a trip to the southern hemisphere)
This book is okay so far. I don't love it, but I don't hate it. It is a relatively easy read with a unique plot, but it doesn't keep me on the edge of my seat. I should finish it this weekend and then I will update my thoughts.
*************************************************************
Update on 10/14/2013
This was a very quick read and I finished it earlier this weekend. I thought the book was okay, and if you don't want any SPOILERS, do not read on. I just want to model for my students how when I have questions (see above) I can go back and answer them.
1. So Bernadette ends up going on their previously scheduled trip to Antarctica. She escapes when her husband and others try to stage an intervention to get her help at a mental treatment facility.
2. Elgie's brother ended up being a very minor character. In fact, once Bernadette disappeared and Bee and Elgie started searching for her, I don't think Van was mentioned again.
3. Elgie was not successful in committing Bernadette, but it seems by the end that she wasn't really as crazy as the author had originally made her seem.
4. The Antarctic adventure was one plot twist after another, but all three of them did make the trip and there was a happy ending. (I don't want to ruin everything for you if you decide to pick this one to read).
Sidenote: I don't ever want to go to Antarctica. The description of the cold and how it felt on their faces. Not fun! I think I'm more of a beach-goer when it comes to vacation!
*************************************************************
Update on 10/14/2013
This was a very quick read and I finished it earlier this weekend. I thought the book was okay, and if you don't want any SPOILERS, do not read on. I just want to model for my students how when I have questions (see above) I can go back and answer them.
1. So Bernadette ends up going on their previously scheduled trip to Antarctica. She escapes when her husband and others try to stage an intervention to get her help at a mental treatment facility.
2. Elgie's brother ended up being a very minor character. In fact, once Bernadette disappeared and Bee and Elgie started searching for her, I don't think Van was mentioned again.
3. Elgie was not successful in committing Bernadette, but it seems by the end that she wasn't really as crazy as the author had originally made her seem.
4. The Antarctic adventure was one plot twist after another, but all three of them did make the trip and there was a happy ending. (I don't want to ruin everything for you if you decide to pick this one to read).
Sidenote: I don't ever want to go to Antarctica. The description of the cold and how it felt on their faces. Not fun! I think I'm more of a beach-goer when it comes to vacation!
Friday, October 4, 2013
Blogs of the Week!
Lots of great blogs out there! A few of my favorites to check out include:
-Marcel from bell 4. Check out his post titled "Androids with a Side of Aliens." The title says it all, and if you like sci fi, you may want to check out Marcel's blog!
-Nicholas Sparks fans, be advised that Kayla has a great recommendation for Safe Haven on her blog.
-And for a multi-sensory blog experience, check out Caitlin's blog. She knows how to do a lot of cool features on her blog!
Enjoy your weekend, everyone! Be safe at Homecoming and have fun!
-Marcel from bell 4. Check out his post titled "Androids with a Side of Aliens." The title says it all, and if you like sci fi, you may want to check out Marcel's blog!
-Nicholas Sparks fans, be advised that Kayla has a great recommendation for Safe Haven on her blog.
-And for a multi-sensory blog experience, check out Caitlin's blog. She knows how to do a lot of cool features on her blog!
Enjoy your weekend, everyone! Be safe at Homecoming and have fun!
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Before I Fall
You know the phrase "Don't judge a book by its cover?" Yea, well I kind of did that...in a way. I started reading Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall because I noticed that several of my female students were also reading it. And at first, I (sorry in advance) thought it was not so good. It was cheesy and unrealistic and the main character, Sam, was very unlikeable. She was superficial, arrogant, and cruel. Basically a mean girl.
At the very beginning of the book, she is in a car accident and "dies" after a night out drinking with the rest of the senior class from her high school. The first chapter took us through her entire last day and basically shared example after example of how superficial she was. For example, her and her friends think they rule the school and basically cut another girl off for a parking spot (the other girl was there first, but not as cool, so they stole the spot). The author shows Sam cutting class to sneak off to "The Country's Best Yogurt," and playing a cruel prank on the school "loser," Juliet Sykes. She and her friends send Juliet a single rose with the note, "Maybe next year." It is Cupid day at the school, where freshmen and sophomore girls deliver roses to the students. It is basically a popularity contest to see who gets the most roses.
After her "death," she wakes up the next morning and it is still Cupid day. Sam gets the chance to relive the day over. And over. And over. I think right now I'm on the 4th do-over of Cupid day and I am finally starting to like Sam. At first, she used her do-over days to be a complete snob, overspend with her parents' credit card at the mall, seduce a teacher (yes, that really happened). But then she realizes how stuck-up she is and actually starts to change. One of her days she tells her mom she is sick and spends the entire day hanging out with her younger sister. And the next she realizes she has to help Juliet change the path of her life to prevent her from committing suicide. And you know what...she becomes a likeable character, a girl I would respect and maybe even be friends with. This book reminds me of Groundhog Day, a movie from the 90s where the main character keeps waking up and reliving the same day. Here's a trailer for that movie. Most of you have probably not seen it:
Both the book and this movie show how characters and their decisions are really able to change plot events and influence other people. I love this line from the book: "It amazes me how easy it is for things to change, how easy it is to start off down the same road you always take and wind up somewhere new. Just one false step, one pause, one detour, and you end up with new friends or a bad reputation or a boyfriend or a breakup. It's never occurred to me before; I've never been able to see it. And it makes me feel, weirdly, like maybe all of these different possibilities exist at the same time, like each moment we live has a thousand other moments layered underneath it that look different." I couldn't have said it better myself!
At the very beginning of the book, she is in a car accident and "dies" after a night out drinking with the rest of the senior class from her high school. The first chapter took us through her entire last day and basically shared example after example of how superficial she was. For example, her and her friends think they rule the school and basically cut another girl off for a parking spot (the other girl was there first, but not as cool, so they stole the spot). The author shows Sam cutting class to sneak off to "The Country's Best Yogurt," and playing a cruel prank on the school "loser," Juliet Sykes. She and her friends send Juliet a single rose with the note, "Maybe next year." It is Cupid day at the school, where freshmen and sophomore girls deliver roses to the students. It is basically a popularity contest to see who gets the most roses.
After her "death," she wakes up the next morning and it is still Cupid day. Sam gets the chance to relive the day over. And over. And over. I think right now I'm on the 4th do-over of Cupid day and I am finally starting to like Sam. At first, she used her do-over days to be a complete snob, overspend with her parents' credit card at the mall, seduce a teacher (yes, that really happened). But then she realizes how stuck-up she is and actually starts to change. One of her days she tells her mom she is sick and spends the entire day hanging out with her younger sister. And the next she realizes she has to help Juliet change the path of her life to prevent her from committing suicide. And you know what...she becomes a likeable character, a girl I would respect and maybe even be friends with. This book reminds me of Groundhog Day, a movie from the 90s where the main character keeps waking up and reliving the same day. Here's a trailer for that movie. Most of you have probably not seen it:
Both the book and this movie show how characters and their decisions are really able to change plot events and influence other people. I love this line from the book: "It amazes me how easy it is for things to change, how easy it is to start off down the same road you always take and wind up somewhere new. Just one false step, one pause, one detour, and you end up with new friends or a bad reputation or a boyfriend or a breakup. It's never occurred to me before; I've never been able to see it. And it makes me feel, weirdly, like maybe all of these different possibilities exist at the same time, like each moment we live has a thousand other moments layered underneath it that look different." I couldn't have said it better myself!
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
2013 Book Awards
The 2013 National Book List Awards have been released! Check them out here if you are looking for a new book!
Blogger of the Week
This week, I want to highlight Cindy from Honors Bell 5 and her amazing blog! Cindy's posts are both conversational and extremely well-written. She does a wonderful job talking to her reader, connecting to the texts she is reading, and sharing her thoughts.
I love her most recent post from September 22, which starts out with these words: "If I asked you who sings the new hit song "Roar", you'd probably respond, "Katy Perry, of course." But if I asked you who founded the most popular search engine that you use everyday, you'd probably have NO idea. Well, at least that was the case for me."
Makes you want to read more, doesn't it? Go check out her blog and leave a comment!
I love her most recent post from September 22, which starts out with these words: "If I asked you who sings the new hit song "Roar", you'd probably respond, "Katy Perry, of course." But if I asked you who founded the most popular search engine that you use everyday, you'd probably have NO idea. Well, at least that was the case for me."
Makes you want to read more, doesn't it? Go check out her blog and leave a comment!
Monday, September 23, 2013
October Mourning
I left my Kindle at home this morning so I ran down to the media center and picked up October Mourning by Leslea Newman. It looked interesting and I remember the news story from when I was in high school. To summarize, Matthew Shepherd was the targeted victim of a hate crime, committed because he was gay while a college student at the University of Wyoming. The crime was brutal and the poor victim was beaten, tied to a fence, and left in the cold. He died five days later.
This book is written as a series of poems that tell the story from multiple perspectives. The pain the tragedy caused his family, friends, and the extended U of W community is endless. One of the poems really spoke to me. It was called "How to Have the Worst Day of Your Life." It was about how the parents could hear the news. I am a parent to three beautiful, healthy children who I love more than anything in this world. And the thought of hearing about something bad happening to one of them is enough to make me cry. This poem reached me on that level and was the strongest connection I made while reading this book. Here is an excerpt from that poem:
"Fumble for the phone.
Say hello.
Hear an unfamiliar voice say your name like a question.
Say, It is I, or Speaking, or That's me, or Yes?
Hear the unfamiliar voice say there's bad news.
Hear the unfamiliar voice say, 'Are you sitting down?'
Sit up.
Know deep in your gut that after you hear this bad news, your life will never be the same."
Getting bad news about a child has to be the absolute worst thing a parent can imagine. And I hope it is never me on the receiving end of a conversation like the one above.
All in all, this book was a very quick read (I read the entire book of poems in about thirty minutes). It was emotional, but quick, raw, and told a story. If you like poetry, this might be a good read for you.
This book is written as a series of poems that tell the story from multiple perspectives. The pain the tragedy caused his family, friends, and the extended U of W community is endless. One of the poems really spoke to me. It was called "How to Have the Worst Day of Your Life." It was about how the parents could hear the news. I am a parent to three beautiful, healthy children who I love more than anything in this world. And the thought of hearing about something bad happening to one of them is enough to make me cry. This poem reached me on that level and was the strongest connection I made while reading this book. Here is an excerpt from that poem:
"Fumble for the phone.
Say hello.
Hear an unfamiliar voice say your name like a question.
Say, It is I, or Speaking, or That's me, or Yes?
Hear the unfamiliar voice say there's bad news.
Hear the unfamiliar voice say, 'Are you sitting down?'
Sit up.
Know deep in your gut that after you hear this bad news, your life will never be the same."
Getting bad news about a child has to be the absolute worst thing a parent can imagine. And I hope it is never me on the receiving end of a conversation like the one above.
All in all, this book was a very quick read (I read the entire book of poems in about thirty minutes). It was emotional, but quick, raw, and told a story. If you like poetry, this might be a good read for you.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty, Continued
I am still working my way through A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty. I am really enjoying the writing style and the author's choice to alternate chapters told from the perspectives of different characters. I am about a third of the way through right now and the plot has really thickened. Both Mosey and Big have figured out that it is likely that Mosey was kidnapped and have started searching for children who went missing around the same time Liza disappeared from their town. The author also provides flashbacks into Liza's life from the time she first left. We learn that her infant did in fact die. We also learn that she has a problem with stealing children and we are shown several different times where she has been compelled to steal a child (I'm still unclear as to what happened to these other children and/or if one of them is Mosey).
Last time I blogged, I posted a few questions, which I am going to try to provide an update for:
Whose remains are inside the box? I think they belong to Liza's biological daughter, who I believe died of SIDS.
Was Mosey kidnapped? It appears that this is so.
Where did Liza and Mosey do during that time period? Liza traipsed all across the country, hitching rides from many different people, mostly truckers.
Who is Mosey's father? No idea yet.
In some ways, this book reminds me of "The Face on the Milk Carton," a book written by Caroline B. Cooney that was later turned into a made-for-TV movie starring Kellie Martin. I loved the book growing up and still remember my excitement when it was made into a movie. Anyways, below is the first part of the movie and you can watch the other parts of the film on youtube if interested. There is a really clear connection between the two.
In the movie, Janie ends up finding her real family and they had desperately missed her and wanted her back. I am really curious (assuming Mosey was kidnapped at a young age) what her biological family is like and how she will fit in with them.
Last time I blogged, I posted a few questions, which I am going to try to provide an update for:
In some ways, this book reminds me of "The Face on the Milk Carton," a book written by Caroline B. Cooney that was later turned into a made-for-TV movie starring Kellie Martin. I loved the book growing up and still remember my excitement when it was made into a movie. Anyways, below is the first part of the movie and you can watch the other parts of the film on youtube if interested. There is a really clear connection between the two.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Off to a Good Start!
Earlier this week I started reading A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty. It was one of my recommended reads on Goodreads, and they pretty much hit the nail on the head. The plot description sounded interesting and it actually reminds me a lot of Jodi Picoult, one of my favorite authors. One of the biggest similarities is in the organization of the text. Picoult often has stories that are told from multiple different first-person perspectives where she changes the speaker each chapter. A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty is organized the same way.
I am 19% into the novel (reading on my Kindle) and here is the gist of the plot thus far. It follows the tale of three women in the same family. First is "Big" the grandmother, second is Liza, the mother, and third is Mosey, the daughter. There are fifteen years between each of them, so both Big and Liza were teen mothers and have this gnawing fear that Mosey will turn out the same way. But, there is more to the plot than that. Shortly after Mosey was born, Liza and Mosey disappeared from the town for two years and returned to Big when Mosey was a toddler. Liza had an accident and had some handicaps the year Mosey turned 14, so Big was essentially raising Mosey as well as providing care to Liza. Then one day it happened. Some workers were cutting down a tree in the front yard when they discovered a buried box. Inside the box were the remains of a baby and an outfit Big remembers buying for Liza when Mosey was born. The workers call the police and immediately we see the thoughts of both Mosey and Big. Big immediately jumps to the conclusion that the remains are those of baby Mosey and that Liza had kidnapped another girl when she was missing for that time period. Mosey thinks maybe her mom has another baby that died before her. All we know from Liza is that she screamed, "My baby! My baby!" when the box was found.
I have so many questions:
I found this video about the author because this is the first book I've read by her. I love the way she talks about characters and how they develop in her head. She actually isn't talking about this novel but does talk about character development and has some tips that would be helpful to any writer.
I am 19% into the novel (reading on my Kindle) and here is the gist of the plot thus far. It follows the tale of three women in the same family. First is "Big" the grandmother, second is Liza, the mother, and third is Mosey, the daughter. There are fifteen years between each of them, so both Big and Liza were teen mothers and have this gnawing fear that Mosey will turn out the same way. But, there is more to the plot than that. Shortly after Mosey was born, Liza and Mosey disappeared from the town for two years and returned to Big when Mosey was a toddler. Liza had an accident and had some handicaps the year Mosey turned 14, so Big was essentially raising Mosey as well as providing care to Liza. Then one day it happened. Some workers were cutting down a tree in the front yard when they discovered a buried box. Inside the box were the remains of a baby and an outfit Big remembers buying for Liza when Mosey was born. The workers call the police and immediately we see the thoughts of both Mosey and Big. Big immediately jumps to the conclusion that the remains are those of baby Mosey and that Liza had kidnapped another girl when she was missing for that time period. Mosey thinks maybe her mom has another baby that died before her. All we know from Liza is that she screamed, "My baby! My baby!" when the box was found.
I have so many questions:
- Whose remains are inside the box?
- Was Mosey kidnapped?
- Where did Liza and Mosey do during that time period?
- Who is Mosey's father?
I found this video about the author because this is the first book I've read by her. I love the way she talks about characters and how they develop in her head. She actually isn't talking about this novel but does talk about character development and has some tips that would be helpful to any writer.
Featured Blogger of the Week!
This week, I want to highlight Kennedy and her blog. There are a lot of positives I see in Kennedy's blog and her posts are prime examples of what I want to see. Some of the things I like about her blog is the casual, realistic tone of a blog. I also like the frequent connections and links she displays to other articles and videos. Her posts are on topic, yet they sound natural.
I especially like the post from Wednesday, September 4 where she introduces her new book and includes the video trailer. Her post includes a nice summary of the book so far and includes many pertinent details. This weekend, be sure to check out Kennedy's blog and to post on four other student blogs. (They don't have to be in our class, but they do need to be MHS freshmen students)!
I especially like the post from Wednesday, September 4 where she introduces her new book and includes the video trailer. Her post includes a nice summary of the book so far and includes many pertinent details. This weekend, be sure to check out Kennedy's blog and to post on four other student blogs. (They don't have to be in our class, but they do need to be MHS freshmen students)!
Monday, September 9, 2013
Sisterhood Everlasting
I bet many of you read one or more of the books from "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" series by Ann Brasheres. I used to teach middle school and therefore had read a few of the books in the series and thought they were cute preteen books. I discovered a 5th book in the series this weekend when I was searching for new books on OverDrive and read the summary. This fifth installment is actually about the girls as adults. It is nice to see how each one has changed, yet stayed the same. The book starts with Tibby inviting the other three to Lena's grandparents' house in Greece. When the other three arrive, Tibby is nowhere to be found. After 12 hours of her missing, they file a missing person report with the local authorities. The police arrive within a day and inform the girls that a young woman's body has washed ashore and they believe she has drowned. When the girls discover personal letters Tibby has left for each one, they assume she has committed suicide. As a reader, when I discovered this (very early on in the book - don't worry, not a spoiler) I was mad. This was supposed to be an uplifting book and instead I was depressed. As the girl's learn more about Tibby's life, you find out what really happens, while following the multiple plot lines of the other three: Lena is still in love with Kostos, and they reunite after Tibby's death through frequent letter-writing; Bridget (Bee) is still dating Eric and questions what direction her life needs to do; and Carmen is living in NYC as an actress and engaged to a man named Jones.
Through all these plot lines, I think the author was trying to teach the reader that life is short and you shouldn't sit by idly watching life go by. You need to take action yourself. I can think of a few examples from the book I can share without spoiling the ending:
Through all these plot lines, I think the author was trying to teach the reader that life is short and you shouldn't sit by idly watching life go by. You need to take action yourself. I can think of a few examples from the book I can share without spoiling the ending:
- Lena and Kostos love each other, but they haven't seen each other in 10 years. After Tibby's death, Kostos comes back to Greece to help Lena grieve. They become friends again. After Kostos returns to London, they begin a letter-writing correspondence. Both loves the other, but don't freely admit it for a long time. They both are waiting around for the other to take the bold first steps and eventually both do at the same time. But when they finally take action is when both get what they really want.
- Bridget has a similar journey. She has been with Eric for almost 15 years, but is still not married and officially settled down. She forces herself to take time apart from him and goes on a journey of her own (both physical and emotional) before she realizes that he is her future and what she wants.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
I Finished my Book! What Should I Do?
I actually took a 1.5 day break from reading. When I finished Escape I updated my Goodreads account with my next book. And I have not opened it yet. Yes, your English teacher is admitting I didn't open an independent reading book for an entire day. I had narrative revisions to grade (so I did do some reading), took my kids to the park, went on a long walk with them, and whipped up a delicious strawberry mango salsa. Yum! Last night as I was trying to fall asleep though, I was a bit distraught. Reading is my nightly bedtime ritual and I had nothing to read. I actually left Bossypants by Tina Fey (my next book) at school because I was giving myself a day off. Fortunately, I had my Kindle. Unfortunately, all my recent library downloads had disappeared because I left the wireless on, so down to the computer I went. I spent an hour going back and forth between my Goodreads want-to-read shelf and OverDrive, where I download most of my reading material. I was pleasantly surprised to be able to immediately download five of the books on my want-to-read list and put holds on about seven more. Yeah for free books! Anyways, the whole point of this post is to let you know about OverDrive and downloadable books. You don't have to have a Kindle or Nook. You can download onto an app on your phone, an iPad, your home computer, etc. The Mason High School library is hyperlinked, so you always have a book at your fingertips! (Just follow the link and click on eBooks - I prefer OverDrive, but you can check out Follett's as well).
I also got a few good book ideas from a list put out by USA Today of the 30 hottest books for fall. Most of these are adult titles, but you may want to check it out and see if there is something that interests you!
USA Today's 30 Hottest Books for Fall
So there you have it! There is no excuse for not having a book to read!
I also got a few good book ideas from a list put out by USA Today of the 30 hottest books for fall. Most of these are adult titles, but you may want to check it out and see if there is something that interests you!
USA Today's 30 Hottest Books for Fall
So there you have it! There is no excuse for not having a book to read!
Monday, September 2, 2013
Stand Up
I'm 288 pages into Escape by Carolyn Jessop and every page has put me into shock. Here are a few of the more shocking trials Carolyn has had to endure as a member of the FLDS:
- She was forced into marriage at the age of 18 to a 50-year-old.
- She was one of 7 wives of this 50-year-old.
- She was forced to procreate as often as possible and birthed 8 children in a 15 year span, many of these high-risk.
Here is a brief wikipedia explanantion of the FLDS.
Carolyn was basically like a piece of property to her husband Merrill and because of her religion could not stand up for herself. At first, she didn't want to. She'd been brainwashed since birth that the world outside of their religion was bad. That no one was kind or cared about others. That it was unsafe. But then one of her children had a tumor on his spinal cord and she spent weeks in the hospital with him and was amazed by the kindness showed to her and Harrison. That was one of the moments that made her realize the world was not so bad. Her husband also forced her to work at a motel he owned away from the family for a time where she felt unsafe because there was a man her husband hired who was stalking her. There was another man, James, who was a caretaker on the property who protected Carolyn and made her feel important.
The polygamy described in this book seems surreal. It is hard to imagine there are families living like this in our country today. It just seems so far removed from the world I know. Not to judge, but it is a world I would not want to live in. I'm obviously not finished yet, but I think I can predict the developing theme, "Stand up for your beliefs." Carolyn has just started to do this. She wrote a 17-page letter to Warren Jeffs, the current leader. She summarizes what she wants in the memoir, "I began writing a letter to Jeffs that told my side of the situation. I wanted to be allowed to live in the community but away from Merril and in a space of my own...It took me several weeks but I finally had a seventeen-page letter that detailed the awful history of abuse that Merril had dealt out to his wives and children" (Jessop 278). I know she eventually escapes, because the book starts by describing the night she escapes with her children. I have about 130 pages left and am eager to discover how she builds up the courage to stand up for her beliefs.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
The Butler Did It
I'm sure we've all heard that phrase, "The Butler Did It." It is a popular idiom, and rightly so when it comes to crime/mystery novels. I was up way too late last night finishing The One I Left Behind by Jennifer McMahon. I really loved it! To be honest, It started a little slow, but once I got halfway through I could not put it down. There were so many twists and turns, and like most good mysteries, I had no idea who Neptune was and who was committing the killings until Reggie figured it out.
So here is a summary of The One I Left Behind:
A serial killer invades the small town of Brighton Falls, Connecticut in 1985, kidnapping women, cutting off their right hand and leaving it at the door of the police station, and killing them five days later and leaving the body. Reggie's mother becomes one of Neptune's victims and she and her friends try to solve the mystery within the five days to rescue her mother. They don't solve the crime, but her mother's body also doesn't appear. 25 years later, adult Reggie is surprised when she receives a phone call from her aunt that they have found her mother. Alive. She is, of course, missing her right-hand, and mentally seems disoriented. But she is alive. Reggie moves home to help aid in her mother's recovery. While she is helping, one of her childhood friends Tara disappears. Her right hand appears at the police station and the whole town assumes Neptune is back, or a copycat murderer. Once again, Reggie delves into solving the mystery. And this time, she figures out who the killer is. But was it too late to save Tara? Herself? And who was the mysterious Neptune? You'll have to read to find out!
Fortunately, I finished my book at a good time as this morning I took my CLC classes to the school media center to look for new books. The nonfiction title, Escape, caught my eye, largely because the co-author shares the same exact name as me! It is about a radical polygamist cult where the author is a woman who married a 50 year old man when she was 18 and birthed 8 children. It caught me eye and I read the first 30 pages during bell 2 and am going to keep going. I found this intriguing interview with the author that helped explain some of the religious background in the book:
What are you reading right now?
So here is a summary of The One I Left Behind:
A serial killer invades the small town of Brighton Falls, Connecticut in 1985, kidnapping women, cutting off their right hand and leaving it at the door of the police station, and killing them five days later and leaving the body. Reggie's mother becomes one of Neptune's victims and she and her friends try to solve the mystery within the five days to rescue her mother. They don't solve the crime, but her mother's body also doesn't appear. 25 years later, adult Reggie is surprised when she receives a phone call from her aunt that they have found her mother. Alive. She is, of course, missing her right-hand, and mentally seems disoriented. But she is alive. Reggie moves home to help aid in her mother's recovery. While she is helping, one of her childhood friends Tara disappears. Her right hand appears at the police station and the whole town assumes Neptune is back, or a copycat murderer. Once again, Reggie delves into solving the mystery. And this time, she figures out who the killer is. But was it too late to save Tara? Herself? And who was the mysterious Neptune? You'll have to read to find out!
Fortunately, I finished my book at a good time as this morning I took my CLC classes to the school media center to look for new books. The nonfiction title, Escape, caught my eye, largely because the co-author shares the same exact name as me! It is about a radical polygamist cult where the author is a woman who married a 50 year old man when she was 18 and birthed 8 children. It caught me eye and I read the first 30 pages during bell 2 and am going to keep going. I found this intriguing interview with the author that helped explain some of the religious background in the book:
What are you reading right now?
Monday, August 26, 2013
Plot Twist!
Don't you just love a good plot twist? As Reggie was helping take care of her mother after she was found, Neptune struck again. He hadn't taken anyone or committed one of the repeated crimes in 25 years. And this time, he struck Reggie's childhood friend Tara. Tara's hand appeared at the police station, just as the others had 25 years prior. Now, Reggie has five days to try to save her friend. The plot continues to thicken when Reggie discovers a newspaper article in her mom's bedroom about Tara's hand. It had been cut from the newspaper and included a few words written by hand: "Regina is next." I found an interesting website on plot twists. If you go to this site, there are various types of plot twists you see in literature and film along with clever nicknames for them. I would call this plot twist a "Didn't see that coming." I thought the novel was going to be about her mother's recovery and how their relationship rebuilds, but instead it is turning into more of a crime thriller! I can't wait to see what happens next!
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Setting in "The One I Left Behind"
The book is very clear in labeling the different settings the story takes place in. Setting #1 is in 1985 in a town called Brighton Falls, Connecticutt. Here are a few lines from the novel that help tell the setting:
-"The men who worked in high-rises in Hartford moved their familes to places like Brighton Falls, safe little bedroom communities with good schools, no crime, and fresh air" (McMahon location 162).
-"The biggest crime the police had to deal with in recent years had been the time the mayor's son drank too much at graduation, ran a red light, and led the police on an across-town chase that ended when he drove his Mercedes into the country club swimming pool" (McMahon location 175)
These lines describing the town actually remind me very much of Mason (recently ranked 7th best place to live in the United States). Many Mason parents work in high-rises in Cincinnati and moved here for reasons such as the schools. This is the town where the crimes were committed by Neptune and everyone was shocked because it was such a sleep, crime-free town, as described above.
The second setting is in fall/early winter 2010 in Rockland, Vermont. I inferred it was fall due to the following line, "The trees, vivid with oranges, yellows, and reds just last week, were losing their brightness. The cold and wind of the last three days had brought many of the leaves off the trees. Out across the lake, a V of Canada geese headed south" (McMahon location 200). The more modern setting isn't as integral to the story as the former. The town of Brighton Falls is where the conflict is developed, so the author spends more time in her description. The modern setting of Rockland isn't described as much since the main plot happens elsewhere.
-"The men who worked in high-rises in Hartford moved their familes to places like Brighton Falls, safe little bedroom communities with good schools, no crime, and fresh air" (McMahon location 162).
-"The biggest crime the police had to deal with in recent years had been the time the mayor's son drank too much at graduation, ran a red light, and led the police on an across-town chase that ended when he drove his Mercedes into the country club swimming pool" (McMahon location 175)
These lines describing the town actually remind me very much of Mason (recently ranked 7th best place to live in the United States). Many Mason parents work in high-rises in Cincinnati and moved here for reasons such as the schools. This is the town where the crimes were committed by Neptune and everyone was shocked because it was such a sleep, crime-free town, as described above.
The second setting is in fall/early winter 2010 in Rockland, Vermont. I inferred it was fall due to the following line, "The trees, vivid with oranges, yellows, and reds just last week, were losing their brightness. The cold and wind of the last three days had brought many of the leaves off the trees. Out across the lake, a V of Canada geese headed south" (McMahon location 200). The more modern setting isn't as integral to the story as the former. The town of Brighton Falls is where the conflict is developed, so the author spends more time in her description. The modern setting of Rockland isn't described as much since the main plot happens elsewhere.
Monday, August 19, 2013
The One I Left Behind
I started reading The One I Left Behind by Jennifer McMahon this past weekend. I downloaded it on a whim from the library, as it sounded somewhat like the Gillian Flynn novels I read earlier this year and LOVED!
Does this make you want to watch Nashville? Wednesday nights...I can't wait for the new season to start! (And to find out what happens now that Reggie's mother is back in The One I Left Behind).
I had actually never heard of McMahon before, but the Cincinnati Public Library suggested it when I was on Overdrive searching for new books, so I decided to give it a whirl. So far, the basic problem is that there is a killer (Neptune) who is kidnapping women in the 1980's in idyllic Brighton Falls, Connecticut. He cuts off their hands and leaves them in a very public place before strangling the women and disposing of their bodies five days later. The storyline cuts back and forth between the 80's and present day, when the main character, Reggie, discovers that her mother is still alive. Her mother had been one of Neptune's victims and her hand was discovered but never the rest of her body. Everyone assumed her mother was dead since other victims had been recovered. But Reggie's world is turned upside-down when she gets a phone call that her mother has been found. Alive.
Reggie is a unique, well-developed character. She has grown up to become a successful architect, renowned for her work incorporating natural elements into the design. McMahon does a nice job showing us Reggie's friends, interests, and aspirations through methods of both direct and indirect characterization. One good example of indirect characterization comes from a line her "boyfriend" Len says about her, "It isn't normal for a successful adult to be able to fit everything they own in the back of a pickup truck." We can infer that material possessions aren't important to Reggie, even though she financially could afford them. I like how the author jumps back and forth between middle school Reggie in the 80s and the adult Reggie. The middle school Reggie seems unpopular and questioning of herself; the adult Reggie seems like she has blossomed into a more confident women.
Reggie is a strong adult character and at this point in the plot, it seems like she is going to be the one to take care of her mother, reverse of the typical mother-daughter relationship. In some ways, it reminds me of a show I started watching last year, Nashville. Juliette Barnes, played by Hayden Panettiere, had to grow up too fast because her mother wasn't around (for different reasons than in the book) but the mother came back into her life later and Juliette ended up taking care of her, kind of like Reggie and her mother. In this clip from Nashville, you can see Juliette is forced to send her mom to rehab because she is abusing drugs. Obviously the circumstances are not the same, but there is a connection in the reversed parent/child roles. (Please forgive the Spanish subtitles...I couldn't find a version without subtitles).
Does this make you want to watch Nashville? Wednesday nights...I can't wait for the new season to start! (And to find out what happens now that Reggie's mother is back in The One I Left Behind).
Monday, August 12, 2013
What It's All About...
The new Common Core standards state that 9th graders must, "Use technology, including the internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology's capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically." Therefore, you will be creating a "Book Blog" of sorts to highlight books you are reading or have read. You will use this blog to review books you have read, set reading goals, make real-world connections to books, find new texts to read, and engage in real-world blogging. You will have a chance to link to other students' independent reading blogs, comment, and make new discoveries throughout the school year! Maybe you will like it so much, you will continue blogging about books after freshmen year has ended!
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