#IMWAYR June13, 2016

Oh Monday. There are only three of you left in my teaching career. I'm looking forward to waking up and spending time reading all the #IMWAYR posts without worrying about all the other work I have to do. In the meantime, life continues on in its usual frenzy. Thank you so much to Jen at Mentor Texts and Ricki and Kellee at Unleashing Readers for hosting this event. I doubt I'll ever really give up reading middle grade books so long as you are there. 

I've abandoned counting down the days to retirement because I'll be in finishing up work after school closes. I do that every year anyway, but this year, I need to leave the school in good shape for the next teacher librarian. That said, we have students until June 29, so you can do the math if you want. 

Deep weeding began last Friday. I've come to appreciate weeding. At times my heart aches to pull a book, but mostly when I've tried to encourage circulation of these books, I end up pulling them the next year anyway. Weeding is good. Removing all those unread titles makes room for space books students will read and shows off the ones I think they should!

In the past month or so I have been thanking the Gods and Goddesses for audiobooks and picture books. Reading text with my eyes has been a challenge. I hoped it was just the time of year. Then this afternoon, after a long walk and abandoning my to do list, I hunkered down and actually finished one book and got well into another. I'm not sure that this means that my reading mojo has returned, but I am sure that it means it hasn't disappeared forever.

PICTURE BOOKS

The Red Hat by David Teague & Antoinette Portis (Illustrations)

4 stars

In this boy meets girl story, the wind keeps interfering with their meeting. It whips their words away as they try to shout across the chasm between their two towering buildings. It blows their written messages askew. David Teague's writing provides exquisite mentor text for descriptive writing. "The wind raged. It bellowed across boulevards," Portis' bold illustrations are fabulous as usual. There is at least one image, where the two children are teetering on the edges of their respective buildings, that made my stomach lurch.

4 stars

The Tiger Who Would Be King by James Thurber & JooHee Yoon (Illustrator)

I will add this book to our war collection that usually goes on display before Remembrance Day. The moral at the end of this fable claims, "You can't very well be king of the beast if there aren't any," but I think James Thurber's story reflects more on the nature of divisive politics in general and the bizarre insanity of war in particular.

3 stars

Spot, the Cat by Henry Cole

I liked this book enough, but I'm just not that big enough of a fan of search and find books. These black and white illustrations are stunning though. Maybe I'm just too hyperactive to take time to focus on all the detail in them. Fans of Where's Waldo will enjoy it I'm sure.

NOVELS

The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten & Jonathan McClain (Narrator)

4 stars

This book was much more than I expected. It's a love story between Adam, a young man with OCD, and Robyn, a young woman who is recovering from her mental breakdown. Adam is caught between his loyalty to his divorced parents while Robyn is dealing with her mother's death. Of course the book is about more than this. It's about the power of secrets and lies. I learned much about OCD and hoarding in this book.  I was hooked from the very start in large part because of the beautiful, powerful writing. 

See what I mean here:

“She talked about work; he talked about school. Carmella mentioned that she might be up for a promotion by the end of the year, and Adam said that Group, in the end, might work out after all. And during that whole time, they told each other everything except for the part that they didn't. Mother and son were as honest as two people lying to each other could be.”

The ending came as surprise, but I appreciate the reminder that heroes come in many shapes and sizes. Jonathan McClain's narration is spot on in this book. Here is a sampling of it. 

A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass & Danielle Ferland (Narrator)

4 stars

This Wendy Mass title has been around for a while, but if you haven't read it, it is definitely worth it. It is one of those books that students recommended I read ages ago. Having recently read Tastes Like Music and a biography on Kandinsky, I wasn't surprised by Mia's diagnosis, although I did enjoy learning more about synesthesia. There are sections that put me in mind of experiences I had while coming of age in the 60's. What I didn't like is that it seems like Mia's cat dies because of her experimentation with how certain things will affect her. On the other hand, Mia has strong supportive parents who help her deal with her problems. You can sample this book here.

5 stars

Gertie's Leap To Greatness by Kate Beasley & Jillian Tamaki (Illustrator)

This is a NetGalley title that I just finished. It reminded me a lot of Sheila Turnage's Tupelo Landing series. I'm in the middle of writing a proper review, but warn you that this is a fabulous book with a character you will love. And Jillian Tamaki's retro illustrations feel just right for this story. 

CURRENTLY

I'm listening to Serafina and the Black Cloak which is delightfully creepy, but so far, not too much so. I finally found where I had put I'll be There by Holly Sloan and am about 1/3 done with it. I'm also reading Burma: Rivers of Flavour by Naomi Duguid. This is more than just a cookbook. While it does have recipes, it is loaded with information about Myanmar, the country, and why certain ingredients are used. This is the second time I've checked the book out so I'll probably end up purchasing my own copy. I started The Boy Who Knew Everything by Victoria Forester, but have no idea what safe spot I put it in.  

UP NEXT

I've got stuff from NetGalley, a collection from the public library, and a pile of my own books waiting for me. What ever strikes my fancy will be next, although, hopefully, I'll find the missing Victoria Forester title. I probably just need to clean my bedroom....

SOL That Girl Who Won't Leave Me Alone

The SOL community of writers inspire me every time I connect up and read their posts. I encourage everyone to take time to read some of their work at Two Writing Teachers.

My partner reads more than I do. Recently we were talking about characters that live in our heads. He told me he has a few of his own. My sister, also a serious reader, says she has a couple. I wonder if all hardcore readers end up with these 'imaginary friends' who spend time with them now and again.

Here is one of mine.  

Perhaps I dreamed her. 

I met her when I was in my early 20's. 

A fierce thunderstorm shook the house and woke me in the middle of the night. That girl was there with me, wondering if dragons were banging their wings upon the roof. We made our way to the front window to see a real dragon and other magical creatures sitting and waiting. 

She was wanted by the Fae folk to stand trial. 

Across the years that girl has told me much about herself. 

About the trees that talk to her and each other. (Interestingly, since then science has shown that trees do communicate with each other.)

About her biologist parents who believe in science above all else.
They may or may not read fiction, but all they ever read to her were articles and books connected to science. 
She tells them about her conversations with the trees. 
They think she is conversing with imaginary friends.

About the high country where she lives with them as they study plants and animals and watch for forest fires. 

About her grandmother who began smuggling fairy tale collections for her to read when she was ten: Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm, and later on, Jack Zipes, Don't bet on the Prince. 

Perhaps this is how she knew who these impossible creatures were. 

Maybe this is how she learns what to do. 

I have to reread them to be sure. 

During our visits we've negotiated 

   that hopeless trial. 

   that one chance she has.

   the ramifications of spending time in the land of the Fae.
   whether or not she can accomplish what she must for all of us. 

These days that girl is hanging around a lot more.

She's getting impatient with all this waiting, but she has no idea how much work and learning I have to do before/if we can begin to tell her story.

Anyway, do you have an imaginary friend?