Kellee – Page 238 – Unleashing Readers

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors Who Deserve More Recognition

July 16, 2013 by Kellee

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. The feature was created because The Broke and Bookish is particularly fond of lists (as am I!). Each week a new Top Ten list topic is given and bloggers can participate.

Today’s Topic: Top Ten Authors Who Deserve More Recognition

Kellee

This one was much harder than I thought it was going to be. Many authors I loved are loved within the YA/MG community. So, these 5 authors are writers that I wish were read more by everyone and may be appreciated by many, but being read by more would never hurt.

1. Ginny Rorby – Anyone who knows me knows I am an advocate for Ginny Rorby’s books. I love how she takes animal and human themes and melds them into a wonderful narrative. Though her novels Hurt Go Happy and Lost in the River of Grass have gotten recognized by the Schneider and Sunshine State Award (respectably), I feel that her books often fly under the radar and they are too great to do so. And on top of that, she has 2 other books that are just as well done as the two mentioned above: Dolphin Sky and The Outside of a Horse. I really think that Ginny should be read more and I think it’ll lead to more empathy in the readers.

2. Kenneth Oppel – I think Kenneth Oppel deserves to be HUGE. I adore everything he writes that I’ve read. He transcends genres and writes such smart young adult books. His Matt Cruse series is one of the most action-packed, fun, well done trilogies I’ve ever read. Half Brother is smart, emotion-filled, thought-provoking book and the book is made to be a discussed as it introduces so many tough topics. He also writes a fun middle grade series called Silverwing that takes us on an adventure with a bat, but it isn’t just another animal-protagonist book; it is an underdog overcoming. It is adventurous, filled with twists and turns. Finally, his Frankenstein prequels- The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein– are so brilliantly done. I am just a huge fan and think there should be more like me.

3. George O’Connor – George O’Connor writes graphic novels that brings mythology to life. He is going to do a graphic novel for each of the main gods beginning with Zeus and he has now completed Athena, Hades, Poseidon, and Hera. Not only does he make the myths understandable while keeping their integrity, he does so by accompanying it with amazing artwork and an afterword of further information. Even his website is fantastic!

4. Kate Messner – In my Twitter circle, Kate Messner is loved, but I want to make sure that this love extends to the entire world. Kate is an amazing talent. First, until recently, she wrote while teaching middle school and being a mom. Being a middle school teacher, all I can say is BRAVO! Also, she is so multi-talented. She has written picture books, children’s books and middle grade novels all of equally great quality. On top of all of this, she does free Skype visits to classrooms, is a supporter of education constantly including being part of Teachers Write during the summer, and she is a good friend to all of us that are lucky enough to know her. If you have not read any Kate Messner yet, I recommend starting with Eye of the Storm or Marty McGuire or Over and Under the Snow or Sugar and Ice or… any of her books!

5. Jo Knowles – Like Kate, Jo is loved by all of my teacher friends, but I want to make sure that it isn’t just my circle that has heard of her. Jo Knowles knows how to tackle tough topics and does it amazingly in her books. Very tough topics. Her book See You At Harry’s is so phenomenally emotional and touching. And, for an author who isn’t afraid to write about some of the hardest things, Jo Knowles is one of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure to meet. Like Kate, she is part of Teachers Write, will visit classrooms, and is a wonderful friend. If you want to read a book by Jo, I recommend Harry’s first, but any of her books are worth reading.

Ricki

1. More compliments to Kellee’s list – Kellee and I each wrote our top five list separately. After much debate, I came to my final five. When I logged on to add to Kellee’s post, we BOTH had Jo Knowles and Kate Messner. I would just like to add my accolades to these two women. They do so much for education and young adult literature. I continually see Kate’s name in various journal articles promoting education, reading, and teachers in general. She is wonderful human being and incredibly generous. Jo does great work regarding censorship and speaks out for the freedom to read. She is a very kind soul and does so much for students and teachers. Teachers are always talking about how much they appreciate her support of their classrooms.

2. Ruta Sepetys – Last year, I was honored to meet Ruta Sepetys at the ALAN Workshop. I can confidently say that she is one of the nicest people I have ever met. When I sat down at her table for dinner, she talked to every person individually, asking them about their passions and urging them to pursue their dreams. She has written Between Shades of Gray and Out of the Easy, two phenomenal historical fiction novels. Ruta works to promote the voices that are unheard. She spreads the love of historical fiction–urging people to discover their history and ancestors. There are many great historical fiction authors, but what I like most about Ruta Sepetys is how I can give her books to ANY student in my classroom and know they will love them. She truly makes historical fiction accessible. I will pre-order any book she writes because I know each one will be an unforgettable adventure.

3. Matt de la Pena – I debated not including Matt on this list because I think many people are aware of how amazing he is. I couldn’t help but include him on this list, though, because I think he is doing such great things in the field of young adult literature. If you have a boy in your classroom who doesn’t enjoy reading, give him one of Matt’s books. He does such a great job depicting the truth, and I have found my teens really connect with his characters. At the ALAN workshop a few years ago, I mentioned to Matt how much his books connected with some of my students who I worried were at risk of dropping out. They were so excited for me to talk with him at the conference. Matt asked me to send the names of the students I was worried about, including a short description of each of them. He personalized a book for each of these students, writing a different note to each student, encouraging them to stay in school. Every single one of those students graduated high school. Thanks, Matt.

4. Kevin Brooks – I rarely hear teachers talking about Kevin Brooks. Why the heck not? I have multiple copies of all of his books in my classroom because they are excellent for reluctant readers. I love reading aloud segments of Being and The Road of the Dead, in particular. Whenever students finish Kevin Brooks’ books, they always recommend them to their peers. His books constantly flow off my bookshelves, and they are the most worn of any of the books on the shelves. Many of the books have a mystery element to them, and I find that, in general, kids love reading a good mystery. If you have many reluctant readers, get a few copies of Kevin Brooks’ books, and you won’t be sorry.

5. Kristin Cashore – Okay, okay. You probably know about her. She gets a lot of recognition in the YAL world. But why, oh why, doesn’t the whole world know about Kristin Cashore? Some of you may argue with this, but I think she is more talented than any other fantasy writer out there. (I should probably duck my head to avoid the Quidditch balls.) This woman is a genius. I would pay good money to spend a day inside her head. Her world-building is phenomenal. I have seen her speak a few times and I was amazed at her writing process. My only regret is that Kristin doesn’t produce books fast enough. When I remember hearing about how she has created maps and languages to understand characters, this makes sense. But please, Kristin, publish another book soon. I will be the first in line to buy it.

Which authors do you think deserve more recognition?

and

Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Finalists Announced and It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 7/15/13

July 27, 2015July 15, 2013 by Kellee

Ricki and Kellee have been pleased to work on the 2013 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award committee. The award finalists were announced this morning. We will, of course, do a lengthier post about the finalists, but we couldn’t wait to share the list with you all:

2013 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award Finalists Announced

And of course….

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It’s also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…you just might discover the next “must-read” book!

Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join us! We love this meme and think you will, too.

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Last Week’s Posts

**Click on any of the pictures to view the post*

Last Week’s Journeys

Ricki: Last week, I read And the Mountains Echoed by Khalid Hosseini–click the image above for the review. It was phenomenal. I also finished Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, a book by Jesse Andrews that I started several weeks ago. I enjoyed this one but think I would enjoy it even more if I was an adolescent boy. Lastly, I have been working on preparing for the college classes I am teaching, so I read the first third of When Kids Can’t Read: What Teachers Can Do by Kylene Beers. I am enjoying it so much that it is making me want to go back to teaching high school so I can try out the new skills and strategies I am learning. It is making me rethink many of the practices of my classroom and is a GREAT text if you are looking to improve how you teach readers–struggling readers, in particular.

Kellee: This week was a different kind of reading week for me. Mostly, I read research for my book proposal. Currently, I am reading articles about socioeconomic status, emotional intelligence, and lack of reading skills in struggling readers. To be honest, after reading for research, I really haven’t felt like reading for pleasure. Like Ricki, I hope to pick up Kylene Beers’s When Kids Can’t Read for research soon. I’ve read parts of it, but I know that it’ll be a great asset to my research.

The one book for pleasure I did read was a true winner though. Sidekicked by John David Anderson is just as great as all of the Walden Pond Press titles. I cannot wait to review it for you on Saturday as part of the Sidekicked blog hop!

This Week’s Expeditions

Ricki: I want to give a shout-out to USPS for forwarding some packages that were sent to my old address. Hooray! I received some great ARCs this week. I probably would have finished the Kylene Beers book if I hadn’t taken a quick peek of Patrick Ness’ More Than This. Whoops. Ness roped me in…so expect a review of More Than This on Thursday because I suspect I will finish it within the next day. Kellee and I hit our round of reading for the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award this week, so we’ll be rereading those books as well. I can’t wait to share the details of the award soon!

Kellee: Hm… First, I need to take what I’ve learned from the research I’ve done this week and transport that knowledge into my book proposal. That may take away from some of my reading time. As for pleasure reading, I am STILL listening to David Sedaris’s newest. It is so hard to get through audiobooks when I am not driving as much because it is summer… I’ll also be rereading for the Walden Award (already started actually). Check out the link above to see the finalists!! Next to that, it is going to be a surprise what I feel like. I’ll let you know next week.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

So, what are you reading?

Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading.
Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs.
If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

Happy reading!

and

End of (School) Year Reflection

April 23, 2023July 13, 2013 by Kellee

School ended over a month ago for me now, but my reflection of the school year has continued throughout the entire month. Receiving state test scores, looking over end of year surveys, and talking with students/colleagues can really get your mind going. Today, I wanted to share two of my favorite moments from the year as well as some amazing feedback I received from students. This post is not to toot my horn, but to share the amazing things that are happening because I made a choice to include independent choice reading in my classroom as well as two great moments I spent with my students.

Reflection

Independent choice reading is a huge part of my curriculum. I teach intensive reading so much of what I do teach is remedial and student-based. It saddens me when intensive teachers do not feel that another huge aspect in helping these students become better readers is just allowing them to read what they want and often. I’m not going to get into state test data, because to me that isn’t the most important data. The most important to me is did my students become better readers and learn to enjoy reading more? In short, yes. Lets first start with the numbers. This year I taught 63 students that included struggling readers as well as ESOL students who had lived in the country for less than a year when they entered our school. These 63 students read 1,017 books (that I’m aware of) in comparison to the 400ish that they said they read last year. This shows me that the time I am spending allowing them to read it worth it. Also, if I had any other questions it is feedback like this that shows me how important it is:

“At the beginning of the year I hated reading, but now I love reading.”
“I was like a bad reader, but when I got to Ms. Moye’s class everything changed.”
“My attitude [towards reading] has gotten better after the 2 years I’ve had Mrs. Moye and I feel that I’ve gotten to understand the joy of reading books and how good it is to read because it helps you and amuses you at the same time.”
“You helped me become a better reader because you made me read every day.”
“You made me read every day and pushed me to read more and become a better reader and now I read all types of books. TY.”
“You helped me to never give up on reading… and you have some really good books.”

This is why having books in my classroom, modeling reading, and have free choice reading time in my classroom is so important. Every time I have some question me about if it is worth the time, I got back to these reflections and others kids have said over the years and I know that it is the best thing for our students.

Amazing Moment- A First

This year was also a big year because I had my first skype visit with an author!!! At the end of each school year, I like to do a class novel because it builds amazing community in a classroom. As most of you probably know, I am a huge fan of apes, so this year to read with my 8th graders I chose the book Endangered by Eliot Schrefer because… well, it’s brilliant. I hoped that my students would think the same thing and they did! The book provided opportunities to discuss good author’s craft as well as a huge variety of topics. And then, as icing on the cake, Eliot Schrefer was kind enough to agree to Skype with my students. The students generated questions including asking about his decision to be an author, his experiences writing Endangered, choices he made in the book, and his future books. The students were enthralled during the skype visit and, I’ll be honest, so was I! It was like having an author in your class without the hassle of airfare, costs, etc. And don’t take my word for it:

“It gave us knowledge and understanding about what authors have to go through to write their books. Writing a book isn’t easy.”
“Eliot is engaged in a good cause and it really shows you that you don’t have to be born into something to have it, for a lack of better words, “drilled into your brain” to make it a known cause with a hopeful solution. I want to thank him for the courage to speak out on something.”
“I liked when he showed pictures of the bonobos he saw when he was in the sanctuary. I liked the bonobo he showed that was looking at the camera.”
“It was really cool that we skyped with him because it felt like he was really here with us.”
“The skype helped me understand why he made certain choices in the book like Otto’s name. It was because he had 8 fingers but also because he wanted it to be short because he was gonna put it in the book so much.”
And then lots of comments about wanting to read his next book, see Endangered as a movie, how nice he was, how cute the bonobos were, and how much they learned about the Congo.

Amazing Moment- A Tradition

I’m actually doubly lucky, because Eliot is not the only author I am lucky enough to bring into my classroom. I have chosen to read Hurt Go Happy with my students 4 years now because I really feel that the novel brings to the table not only great writing, but empathy and topics that students need to be aware of and discuss. Just like every year, my students are always in love with HGH. At the end of reading, we are lucky enough to do two things to bring the book to life. First, we are lucky enough to visit the ape rescue facility Center for Great Apes in Wauchula, FL which is an actual setting in the novel. This allows the students to see chimps in as close to a natural habitat as we can get. And we also are lucky enough to talk to Ginny Rorby on the telephone. As with Eliot, the students come up with questions to ask Ginny that range from her experiences as a writer, to her feelings about chimps/animal test/child abuse/deafness, and her future plans. Here are what the students had to say about their time talking to Ginny:

“The call gave me more detail about the scenes that I didn’t get and the scenes that I disliked.”
“I learned what they do to animals in captivity like research facilities. I always thought it was just testing.”
“Ginny wrote about her life. Back then you couldn’t do much about child abuse. Or animals abuse. That part really made me mad but sad. Because why do you have to abuse kids or animals. That is just wrong.”
“I found it interesting how the people in Hurt Go Happy were named after Ginny’s relatives and friends.”
“Wow. It actually surprised me that you can put so much effort, support, detail, love, and imagination all into one book.”
“You need to know that not everyone is the same, everyone is different in their own way. You have to be proud of who you are.”
And lots more about not having animals for pet or researching on them, how nice Ginny was, how cool it was to talk to her, and how much they learned about chimps and deafness.

Do you include independent reading in your classroom?
How does it affect your students’ love of reading?
What were your best experiences this year in your classroom? Have you ever Skyped with, called, or had an author come to your school or classroom?
I cannot wait to hear about your experiences.

Zebra Forest by Adina Rishe Gewirtz

July 27, 2015July 12, 2013 by Kellee

Zebra Forest
Author: Adina Rishe Gewirtz
Published April 9th, 2013 by Candlewick Press

Summary: Annie and Rew have only vague memories of their father who died triumphantly and don’t remember their mother at all who decided she didn’t want to be a mom. They now live with their grandmother who suffers with an agoraphobia-type disorder. Some days she rarely leaves her room leaving Annie to be in charge of the household, her brother, and any tough decisions including lying to her social worker. This has lead to Annie having to grow up faster than other 11-year-olds. Most of her days, she spends time with her brother near the zebra forest telling stories and reminiscing about their father and the adventures that he would have taken if he was still alive. Though, like in all of our lives, one moment can change everything and with a rattling, stuck backdoor Annie and Rew’s lives will never be the same.

My Review: Sometimes you come across quiet novels that aren’t being talked about in the mainstream that are very entertaining and well done. This is one of those books. It starts out quietly with amazing stories being told between Annie and Rew and great character development. Then the plot twist changes everything! And the suspense, emotion, and background story really starts to build.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: The most specific aspect of this book that I see to use in the classroom as a mentor text is the creative storytelling talents that she displays throughout the book. She tells amazing stories that include extensions from Treasure Island and adventures of her father (ex. p. 21-26). Also, this book is contemporary fiction and takes place during the Iranian Hostage Crisis which would be a way to teach this important part of history that many students may not be aware of. Mostly, I see this book being used as a read aloud or lit circle to lead to discussion of the plot and characters.

Discussion Questions: After reading Treasure Island, do you agree with Annie and Rew’s favorite characters (p. 70-71)?; Have you ever lied in a situation because you felt that it was necessary? Explain.; Research the Iran Hostage Situation. From Annie we learned the basics about the crisis; what did you learn from research about it?

We Flagged: “Outside, I could smell the Zebra. Even if for some reason I stopped feeling cold or hot or rain or sun, I bet I could close my eyes and still tell which season I was in just by the smell of the tees and dirt there. Spring was sweet mud and flowers. Fall had a kind of moldy edge to it, and winter was all dust and bark. As for summer, the Zebra carried a mossy, thick aroma full of baking leaves and oozing sap, which I guess was its growing smell.” (p. 87)

“Most recently he [their father] was a secret agent, working to free those hostages in Iran. Rew loved to imagine the Middle Eastern desert, sandstorms and mullahs and veiled ladies, and our father somewhere among them, bartering for hostages in a dusty marketplace or smoking a hookah with a sheik.” (p. 22)

Read This If You Loved: One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia, Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson, Paperboy by Vince Vawter, My Mixed-up Berry Blue Summer by Jennifer Gennari [Zebra Forest is a very unique book. I chose the books because they have similar tone or the characters and are for similar age levels.]

Recommended For:

What is a favorite book of yours that flies under the mainstream radar?

**Thank you to Candlewick Press for providing a copy for review. Jen also reviewed this book at Teach Mentor Texts, so make sure to check out her review, too!**

Top Ten Tuesday: Best Movie Adaptations

July 14, 2013July 9, 2013 by Kellee

Today’s Topic: Top Ten Best/Worst Movie Adaptations (you could pick best or worst OR split it in half)

This was a tough one for me as I try to separate the book and movie as much as possible or the movie is really going to bother me and I just don’t need that extra aggravation in my life. So, today I am going to focus on the best movie adaptations to keep it positive! Here are my top 10 (in no particular order):

1. “The Silence of the Lambs” (based on the book by Thomas Harris)

2. “Fight Club” (based on the book by Chuck Palahnuik)

3. “To Kill a Mockingbird” (based on the book by Harper Lee)

4. “The Princess Bride” (based on the book by William Goldman)

5. “Shawshank Redemption”/”Stand By Me”/”Apt Pupil” (based on short stories from Stephen King’s Different Seasons)

6. “Jurassic Park” (based on the book by Michael Crichton)

7. “Bridget Jones’s Diary” (based on the book by Helen Fielding)

8. “Harry Potter” series (based on the books by J.K. Rowling)

9. “Lord of the Rings” series (based on the books by J.R.R. Tolkein)

10. “Charlotte’s Web (1973)” (based on the book by E.B. White)

Honorable Mention: “Coraline” (based on the book by Neil Gaiman)

Honorable Mention: “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)” (based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl)

What are your favorite (or least favorite) movie adaptations?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 7/8/13

July 27, 2015July 8, 2013 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Last Week’s Posts

**Click on any of the pictures to view the post*

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: Last week I did not have to work so it gave me time to get some reading in as well as some research and writing. As planned, I finished The Price of Freedom and Tom T’s Hat Rack to review (click the book covers above to see my reviews). Unplanned, I read Zebra Forest by Adina Rishe Gewirtz and I cannot wait to share it with you this week. It is a very good debut novel. I also finished Surfacing by Nora Raleigh Baskin which I struggled with, but can see why others really enjoyed it. My favorite read of the week is definitely Primates by Jim Ottaviani. If you followed Teach Mentor Texts or me on Twitter, you know that I am a huge advocate for apes (2 of my favorite books ever have apes) and I’m so lucky to have such a great friend in Maria (@mselke01) that she sent me Primates. When I opened it, I immediately sat down and devoured it. So good! I’ll be reviewing it for Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday next week. On top of my pleasure reading, I read a bunch of articles about Emotional Intelligence and Socioeconomic Status and low reading level for research.

Ricki: This week, I finished Readicide: How Schools Are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It. It was incredible and well worth the hype. Kelly Gallagher seems to fundamentally share many of the same theories about education as me, and he does a phenomenal job verbalizing and supporting his beliefs. I can’t wait to use it in my college class next semester. If you haven’t read this one, I highly recommend it. (Oh, and it is fewer than 150 pages, so it doesn’t take long to read.) I also finished Sarah Dessen’s The Moon and More. I fall in love with all of Sarah Dessen’s characters, so I was not surprised to have adored this one. It wasn’t my absolute favorite of all of her books, but it was certainly a wonderful read. In our Launch Week, Kellee and I did a Favorites page. She recommended Love That Dog. When I saw it on many of the Favorites lists of other bloggers in our Blog Hop, I had to read it. It made me want to teach middle school (or even upper elementary school). I would love to use this as a read-aloud. I would have used it in my high school poetry unit, had I known more about it sooner.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: This week I go back to work so I will probably not get as much reading done. I’ll be able to continue my David Sedaris audiobook because I’ll be driving again, so that is exciting. I’m also researching with Teaching Struggling Readers: How to Use Brain-based Research to Maximize Learning by Carol A. Lyons which is quite interesting so far. For pleasure, I’ll be starting Sidekicked by John David Anderson and I know I’ll love it because everything from Walden Pond Press has been quite brilliant.

Ricki: As I plan for my new college class, I will be doing some textbook reading. Luckily, it is all related to promoting reading, so it should be enjoyable. Kylene Beers’ When Kids Can’t Read: What Teachers Can Do: A Guide for Teachers 6-12 came highly recommended, so I will begin tackling that one. I am just about finished with Khaled Hosseini’s And the Mountains Echoed, so I am going to post that review on Thursday. Get ready–this is a great one (if you haven’t read it).

Upcoming Week’s Posts

So, what are you reading?

Happy reading!

and

Teachers Write Sunday Check-In 7/7/13

July 20, 2018July 7, 2013 by Kellee

Teachers Write! is an online virtual summer writing camp for teachers and librarians who understand how important it is for people teaching writing to walk the walk.

My plans for Teachers Write:

This summer, my friend Jennifer Fountain and I are working on writing a proposal for a education professional book about teaching struggling readers which is our passion. Our goal this summer is to finish the cover letter, the expanded outline, and a couple of sample chapters so that by the end of the summer we can present our proposal.

My summer writing recap so far:

So far so good! However, does anyone else find that the summer is going so quickly! This is also my first summer trying to have a reading and writing goal and it is so hard to keep up with both of them. Also, when your reading is research, it goes much slower than reading for pleasure or even for review or a committee. Also, launching a new blog really eats into both!

Writing a proposal is a lot more work than I even imagined. The biggest challenge for us has been putting onto paper what we already understand in our brains. When writing the proposal, you have to remember that the editor or publisher reading it may not know certain things about education and you have to explain it. You can’t just say book pass or other terms; you have to explain them.

I’ve also found out that I really like the idea of co-authoring. I am truly enjoying working with Jenn. It is so nice to have someone to talk to about decisions, have someone to read your work, and someone to bounce ideas off of. I also think that she keeps me on track which means I should be writing right now…

How is writing going for all of my Teachers Writes friends? Do you find it hard to keep up with writing and reading? How do you balance the two?

Happy writing!