Amazing Faces

Amazing Faces is a collection of poetry by Lee Bennett Hopkins and illustrated by Chris Soentpiet. This book is featured on the 2011-12 Texas Bluebonnet list. The illustrations of people in this book are beautiful and I really enjoyed the poems. The poems and illustrations represent people from many cultures and backgrounds. Even though the book reflects the diversity of America, it also shows how much alike we all are and how we experience the same feelings and emotions - all of which are reflected in our faces!
I am always amazed how poets can say so much and make you understand their feelings with so few words. This book is extra special because the ilustrations are also very powerful. Every detail is perfect. What kind of poetry do you like? Think of your favorite poem and then try to think of how you would illustrate it. Do you think the meaning of a poem can be changed if you match it with a different illustation?
Checkout the author interview and links on Teachingbooks.net and let me know what YOU think!

FALLING for Great Books

This month our fifth grade book club has been reading Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper. This book really amazed me. It tells the story of Melody who is brilliantly intelligent but because of a life long medical condition has been unable to communicate with anyone. Reading about Melody's life really inspired me but at times I was so mad at the injustices she suffered. I think Sharon Draper did a great job of letting the readers glimpse at what life is like for someone who struggles with some profound disabilities but also possesses some incredible gifts. I think the character of Melody is really well developed and she has great voice. I loved the way Melody pushed herself and stood up for herself when she was treated unkindly. What did you think? Did Melody inspire you? Did you get mad when you read this book?

Lightning Thief: Book vs. Movie

I finished Rick Riordan’s The Lightning Thief last week and I really enjoyed it. I listened to the audio version and thought it was very well done. I was very interested in all the stories about the Greek gods, goddesses, and demi-gods. I felt like the book did an excellent job of weaving the traditional stories into a new book so I couldn’t wait to see the movie.
Last night my family watched it and I was really disappointed. I know that the movies often have to simplify the plots and drop or change characters to make the story shorter and easier to follow. However, I felt like so much of the story was simplified or altered that the story really lost the appeal of deftly weaving the old stories with the new story. Also, I was so surprised that Ares and Clarissa were dropped completely and that Luke’s role was so different. It will certainly be interesting to see how the next book is made. In the mean time, I am anxious to read the rest of the series!
It seems like more and more books are being made into movies… this summer Mr. Popper’s Penguins came out, the last Harry Potter movie is about to be released and there were many others earlier this year. Maybe you had a similar experience with a movie version of a book... I would love for you to share your thoughts.

Books to Go!

My very favorite thing about summer is that I finally have time to read some of the books that I have wanted to get to for a LONG time. This week I was driving to Oklahoma and decided to kill two birds with one stone. I checked out the Playaways for Extra Credit by Andrew Clements and Rick Riordan's Lightning Thief.
This was my first time to use the Playaways and I am really enjoying it. Extra Credit was very good. I loved the way the author showed how similar the main characters were even though one was from the USA and one was from Afghanistan. If you like reading about other cultures, you will enjoy this book.
I am REALLY hooked on Lightning Thief. I have wanted to read it for a long time but it is always checked out. Since I like mythology, I am really enjoying the book. However, I kind of wish I was reading it instead of listening though. If I was reading, I could slow down and look up the different gods and goddesses that are mentioned. However, it is great being able to listen while I drive! I think I may check out the text version and read it again... or maybe I will have to read the next book in the series.
Are you reading anything? What do you think of the audio versions of books? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Are you ready to rumble?

We had a great Reading Rumble practice today! We took a quiz on the quotes and then worked in groups to identify the books. We are really working hard to build a team. Go Bears!