Mid-Summer Book Report Part I

Oh my dear friends! Summer 2010 is proving to be quite the summer. As always I try to find a balance in my life between work and fun, between fun and being productive with my time. Do you find this a challenge as well? It sure is for me. But I'm here to share with you some of the books that have kept me company at the pool, at the coffee shop, by the entrance of my apartment, and in many other little places where I love to read. How's your summer reading going? Do you have any favorites? Please share them with me! That's how we love, learn and grow! ;-)


Elementary Chapter Books

43 Old Cemetery Road Dying to Meet You Book One by Kate Klise and Illustrated by M. Sarah Klise

 Oh I much I enjoyed the humor of this book! Talk about voice, talk about unique!  So what is happening at this house located at 43 Old Cemetery Road? Well, definitely some interesting things. First, a famous writer named Ignatious B. Grumply is trying to find inspiration and peace so he can write more children's books. But he has a terrible case of writer's block. With the hope that the Victorian mansion will provide him with the freedom to write again, he moves in the house for the summer. Did he find what he was looking for? Well, he found a bit more of what he was looking for. Let's see....he found a boy named Seymour whose parents abandoned him at the house so they can tour Europe and speak at conferences. He also found an interesting ghost Olive Spence who was once a writer herself. So how did these three awkward, uncommon trio live in the same house? Well, that's part of the adventures happening at 43 Old Cemetary Road. The unlikely trio actually found something in common but I won't tell you what it is ....you'll have to discover it by yourself.
 I can't tell you much about the Book 2 in this series without spoiling Book 1 but you'll have to trust me on this one. It is as good as the first one. I'm planning on sharing this with my Third Grade ESL class about mid-year. I have to make sure my students don't believe in ghosts or get easily scared by ghost stories before reading it as our Read Aloud. I have to know my audience first! I certainly enjoyed the humor in it! My recommendation is for students in grades 3 and up.


Word After Word After Word by Patricia MacLachlan
  I always enjoyed the work of Patricia MacLachlan and I can see the endless possibilities and potential with this book. In this chapter book, we meet Ms. Mirabel, a writer who will be spending several weeks in a 4th grade class. This writer introduces, encourages and teaches the children to think of the power of words in writing. Lucy, one of the girls in this 4th grade, believes that she doesn't really have much to contribute to this writing class. She doesn't think her life is interesting enough to be shared in writing. However, little by little, word  by word, the students in this class start finding new discoveries and excitement in writing. But most importantly, the writer helps students understand that by writing about things that matter, they're also learning how to cope with some of the most difficult moments in life. A wonderful beginning of the year story to set the mood for Writer's Workshop.



More books coming your way in Part II of Mid-Summer Book Report! Stay tuned. So much to share! So many great books!