In August, when the last Harry Potter book was released, my
husband and I were traveling in Seattle and Vancouver, B.C..
EVERYONE was reading Harry Potter! On the street, on buses,
in cafes, in parks, etc.,., etc.,., etc.,.
Here is a much belated shot of a woman totally engrossed.
Mrs. Ettinger, this is for you!
What are you reading?
Send me a comment and tell me about it.
Do you like it, love it or is it boring you to death?
I just finished rereading The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
and The Freedom Writers Diary
Dear Mrs. Folkert's and Schoettinger's Book Clubs
Please respond to the following to share your thinking with the groups. (Only serious thoughts, please.)
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, push your thinking and wow others, moi, and yourselves--wowing yourself is what really matters the most!
Here is "the following":
1. "If you were in Heidi's shoes, would you want to know about your mom's past, your past and what lies ahead in Liberty?
If yes, why and what could you be risking by knowing?
If no, why not and what could you be risking or missing by not knowing?
2. What do you think Heidi liked about the sound of, "Get a life." p. 85
3. What are some of your thoughts (questions, wonders, ah-has!, predictions, etc.,.) that your wrote in your journals. Share your most original one or two with the groups.
Over and out!
Don't forget how much you all rock!!!
Double smiley faces,
Ms. Parent
If this photo can't convince you to read this series, I don't know what else will!
Thanks for talking to your friends about this series, Emilio! Because of you,
more and more kids are reading it!
Here is another favorite pic of mine: the whole group in action!
:Ms.P)
UPDATE! (SAD UPDATE!)
I was outbid. This set of books went for $251.50! Yes, they are really great books!
Hmmm....reading is profitable....another case for being a reader and a gatherer or collector of books!
What book on your shelf will go for tons and tons of money 20 or 30 years from now? (That is IF you can part with it!)
Well, whomever owns these books now, I hope you are sharing them with your children.
:)Ms. Parent
UPDATE! (SAD UPDATE!)
I was outbid. This set of books went for $251.50! Yes, they are really great books!
Hmmm....reading is profitable....another case for being a reader and a gatherer or collector of books!
What book on your shelf will go for tons and tons of money 20 or 30 years from now? (That is IF you can part with it!)
Well, whomever owns these books now, I hope you are sharing them with your children.
:)Ms. Parent
What exciting multi-tasking things am I up to tonight?
-working on the book room list and labels
-importing CDs into my iTunes library and rockin' out
-Drinking tea and petting my dog with my foot
-this
-BIDDING ON eBay (first time) for a set of books from my childhood! Only 2 hours to go before I find out if they are mine.
Ant and Bee, by Angela Banner are this incredible series of children's books that I loved so sosososososoososo much when I was in pre-school and beyond. I only have 4--the rest literally fell apart after being read so many times. My best friend in 7th grade, Anne, gave me one of her copies for my birthday. What a beautiful gift! What a beautiful friend!
These British beauties have been sadly, out of print for years. Just yesterday, I was rereading one of my favorites: Around the World with Ant and Bee (published in 1960! Before I was born, in case you are wondering :) ) when I thought I might try to pick up a few of these. Well, this turned out to be much more difficult than I thought. Some of the 1st editions are going for $1000.00!! (I'm bidding on newer and cheaper editions!)
You know the book, or series you carried with you everywhere when you were an even younger child?
The one that had you completely and utterly and happily lost in it? Ant and Bee were these books for me. Everyone in the world should have the opportunity to read these. Yes, they're THAT great!
Wish me luck!
:)Ms. Parent
Thanks goes to Barb Terpstra, the Administrative Assistant Extraordinaire for Brian Davis (and a women who "eats" books for breakfast, lunch and dinner!), for letting me know this book won the Newbery! Blame it on the snow––or perhaps just on the excitement of life--that I missed this one!
**MATURE CONTENT**
While this would be a great book for mature 4th-6th graders,
because of some of its content, parents may choose to peruse or pre-read or read/discuss this book with their children.
Kids and teachers (like our own über-fantastico, Bev Allgaier, right here at East K-8) who enjoyed, Ida B . . . and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World will enjoy this book as well. The characters are believable with real worries like all kids have. Lucky and her loyal pooch, HMS Beagle and the other unconventional characters made me smile and worry and wonder as I read on and on....
Quick synopsis: After Lucky's mom dies in a storm, Brigitte, Lucky's dad's first wife, comes from France to take care of her and be her guardian. (Lucky's dad abandoned her.) Lucky searches for her Higher Power, wrestles with the death of her mom, and worries that Brigitte will go back to France without her.
Great lessons in this book. Kids will identify with Lucky, who wishes she had more control over and in her life, but being 10, realizes she doesn't have as much as she wishes she did.
Check it out and let me know what you think. (I'm returning it to East K-8s library tomorrow!)
—Ms. Parent :)
Q & A session with Emilio from the 5th grade class of
Mrs. Schoettley & Mrs. Ettinger on the Tales from the Odyssey series by Mary Pope Osborne
Ms. Parent: Emilio, you just finished the entire series! WHEW! All six books in seven days! How do you feel?
Emilio: I feel awesome! I couldn't stop reading the series. I even reread some of the books and I recommend the series to all readers who love Greek Mythology like me.
Ms. Parent: Emilio, even though this series is written at an end of 3rd grade, beginning of 4th grade reading level, do you think it is still kind of challenging and that older kids––even middle school kids––might like it?
Emilio: It seems easy, but it was still kind of a challenge. There are so many different names of all of the gods and goddesses to keep straight. The pronunciation of the names took a little bit to get used to too. In the back of the book there is a pronunciation guide though. Because it is a series, you really have to keep track of what is going on.
Mrs. Parent: I agree. I think that the series is challenging and interesting––especially if you are into Greek Mythology like we are.
Can you briefly tell the readers about the plot of this series?
Emilio: There is a man called Odysseus who went to fight in the Trojan War against Troy because Helen, another King's wife, was taken. He sailed off with 12 ships and I'm not going to tell you if he defeats them or not. You'll have to read the book to find out. But, he was there for ten years.
On his way home, he was thrown off course because he had angered both Athena, the goddess of wisdom, war and arts & crafts, and later
Poseidon, the god of the seas and rivers. He had to escape all sorts of monsters and giants, like: the one-eyed giant, other cannibal giants, sea monsters and siren. If you want to know if Odysseus survives all of these adventures, read the series. You won't be able to put it down!
Ms. Parent: Hey, Emilio check this picture out:
Emilio: That's a picture of the sirens. They were these beautiful ladies that had beautiful voices and bird wings. But they were deadly and made you want to drown yourself.
Ms. Parent: Do you have wishes (for the series)?
Emilio: Yes. I wish that Odysseus would have escaped with all of his men and that the series would never end.
Ms. Parent: Here are just a few facts about The Odyssey:
The Odyssey was one of two major poems from ancient Greece, written by a blind poet named Homer. No one knows the exact date of the poem, but it is dated around 800 to 600 B.C.
When I was little, my dad loved Greek mythology too and read my brother and me tons of stories and poems and plays. He passed that love onto me. I have read this series many times! I am so happy that there is a version for younger readers.
Once Upon a Curse, by E.D. Baker, as reviewed by Jamie from Mrs. Allgaier's 4th grade class.
Harpies, vampiers, ghosts, and witches. Do you think those are cool? Yes? Then you'll love Once Upon a Curse. This book is about your favorite characters helping your other favorite character break the family curse. Eadric, Emma, and Li'l go back in time to when the curse was cast. On their trip some unexpected events happen. I can't tell about these––you'll have to read the book to find out!!
If I were to change the book I would have had Li'l do something bad to her new boyfriend for what he did to her. My favorite part was when the harpies came. If you read this book you should first read the first two (The Frog Princess and Dragon's Breath) otherwise it will be very confusing to understand Once Upon a Curse, because it is the third book. I hope you like it. Let me know if you did or didn't.
––Jamie C., Mrs. Allgaier's class
"I've never been able to stand wimpy fairy tale princesses who can't do
anything on their own and need princes to solve their problems." E.D. Baker (author of the Frog Princess series)
Maybe this is why I like the Frog Princess series so much. While The Frog Princess and Dragon's Breath are still the strongest in this series. I love the characters that E.D. Baker imagines and her descriptions of the places really take the reader there.
Thanks, Jamie (in Mrs. Allgaier's class) for lending me No Place for Magic, E.D. Baker's latest book in the series--and buying it before I could get my hands on it!! While I enjoyed this book, I had really hoped that more would happen. I had also hoped that Prince Jorge would have made another evil reappearance and that Ralf, the sweet little dragon, would have played a much bigger role in the story. But, if you are like me and have been hooked to this series from the very beginning, you will have a hard time not reading this book! Based on a few clues the story leaves, I can only think that book 5 is coming soon...
Read it and let me know what you think.
Oh! Here is a link to the author's web site: www.edbakerbooks.com
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