Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen

I got the recommendation to read this book from http://mstara.edublogs.org/

Cole is a angry young man with a violent history. After he beats up one of his classmates he is offered the chance to be part of Native American Circle Justice, instead of being tried in court as an adult. Cole jumps at the chance thinking it will be an easy way out and an easy way to avoid prison. He is banished to a remote Alaskan island as both his punishment and his healing. Cole continues to blame everyone and everything in his life for his problems and does not understand the reason he is on the island and what he has to learn. He learns the hard way! The extremely hard way!

I really enjoyed this story and how Ben Mikaelsen manages to blend the horrible violence and anger that Cole possesses with peace, healing and learning that the Tlingkit tribe offer him. Suitable for upper grades for both boys and girls - there is enough gore and grossness to keep boys on the edge of their seats.

While I was reading this book I was remembering a few years ago our New Zealander of the Year was a woman who forgave the 18 year old man, Austin, who lost control of his car and drove onto the footpath killing her 4 year old son and injuring both her and her 6 year old son. This woman, Emma Woods, decided the best thing for herself, her family and Austin was to reach out to Austin, keep him out of prison and work together to heal both their wounds. A truly special woman. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10693438

I think it is this kind of healing, change, forgiveness that the Native American Circle Justice tries to embrace and make work in not only their communities by wherever needed.

Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg

"When you think you have made a mistake, think of it as an opportunity to make something beautiful."

This book came up in the "if you like this book you may like these books" section when I was browsing on bookdepository a while ago. It is a beautiful book with a wonderful message for kids (and adults) - it is OK to make a mistake and don't look at your mistakes as something wrong, look at them as a something to change and make better.

This book has bent paper, holes for exploring, scrunched up paper, torn paper, spills and stains. All "oops" moments that are turned into something new, different, and beautiful. If the message goes straight over younger children's heads they will love the lifting, turning, looking, pulling, opening, and closing that is part of reading this book.

I have just shared this book with a grade one teacher who is about to teach a language unit on making and changing mistakes and it is a perfect mentor text.

The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone and Illustrated by Michael Smollin

I was in the library yesterday browsing the shelves for some read aloud inspiration for my students when I came upon this book. I loved this book when I was a little girl....I read it over and over again. I love that Grover is talking and interacting with the reader (very similar to the pigeon in Mo Willems' books). And of course the fact that he doesn't know that he is the monster is hiliarious to a young reader.

So, I checked the book out and sat down in my office for a nostalgic read of the book and couldn't wait to get it home to share with my daughter who is 5 and half years old.

Now, we (my husband and I) have been realising lately that our daughter is starting to read. I have made some comments that go something like "Wow, all of a sudden she is reading." "How did that happen so quickly?" etc. etc. Of course, the fact that she is now reading is the result of years of exposure to wonderful literature in print rich environments both at home and at school, a fantastic early childhood classroom experience and teacher, and lots and lots of good role modeling along the way. But knowing that she can read 'Pam has a can', The map is on the cat' is one thing but I just about fell off the bed when she picked up this book and read "The monster at the end of the this book" with fluency.....then she opened the book and started to read it! Actually read it! A book she had never seen before! I must say I am a proud mama!

This book has lots positive memories for me, as many of the Little Golden Books do. I am definitely ordering this one for a keeper.

Fancy Nancy written by Jane O'Connor and Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser

I love the character Nancy Nancy. She is creative, smart, funny and oh so fancy. I checked out three Fancy Nancy books from our school library for my daughter and I think I have enjoyed reading these as much as she has. My husband has also been heard chuckling in the background as we are reading.

Fancy Nancy is just that....very fancy. She loves fancy words, fancy clothes, fancy food, fancy dogs, and fancy French words. Of course, frilly socks do make you play soccer better and frilly toothpicks do make sandwiches taste better! The problem Nancy has is that her family just isn't that fancy and they don't understand that life is really so much better when you fancy things up!

I have already put three Fancy Nancy books on my book depository www.bookdepository.com wish list for my daughter's Christmas and birthday pressies. I have also found that Fancy Nancy has an official site http://www.fancynancyworld.com/ which I will be sharing with my daughter during "quiet" time one day soon.

Among the Impostors by Margaret Peterson Haddix

I was introduced to Margaret Peterson Haddix by a middle school teacher last year. I read the first book in her Shadow Children series (Among the Hidden) and loved it. I didn't get around to reading the others in the series (there are seven books in the series) as they were constantly being checked out of the library by the 5th and 6th graders.

The series is centered around Luke - a third child in a society where only two children are allowed. Third children (shadow children) are forced to hide from the Population Police in case they are seen, found out and killed. Luke lives in a rural area and because a new housing development has been built close to his house he has to stay hidden all the time and is not even allowed to play outside. Despite this, Luke makes a friend who is also a shadow child and his life suddenly becomes extremely complicated and confusing.

Among the Imposters is the second book in the Shadow Children series and Luke is out of hiding for the first time in his life and using a fake name and identification at Hendricks School for Boys. He is forced to endure bullying and teasing from his room mates and is bewildered by the layout of the school and they way his classmates and teachers act. He discovers an unlocked door and the chance to be outside again and his life at Hendricks School for Boys changes dramatically.

This series is full of twists and turns and just when you think you have it all worked out another secret is revealed. The Shadow Children series would make a great read aloud from grade 4 up and I know from experience was read and recommended by many 5th and 6th graders.

Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff

I spent yesterday afternoon reading this book and as I was reading I felt very familiar with the book, almost like I had read it before. When I chose the book off the shelves in the library I had no recollection of ever having read or seen the book before. When would I have read this book before? I can only guess that when I lived and worked in NC I worked with a super librarian who was always reading and recommending YA books to me...I must have read it way back then.

I loved this story of Hollis Woods. A simply written story of a young orphan, Hollis Woods, who wants and wishes to belong to a real family but has never found one that she fits into. Written in the present time but also flashing back to different events in her life with different foster families that she has spent time with. The story is woven through the pictures that Hollis Woods has drawn. It is these pictures that make Hollis finally realize that she does belong and it is these pictures that show Hollis what being part of a real family means. The story is filled with twists and turns that will keep any reader (of any age grade 4 and up) on the edge of their seats. This book would make a superb classroom read aloud too.

Who? What? Where? When? How?

Okay, so I haven't been posting on this blog regularly and I know I have no followers but this blog was intended as an experiment with blogging and to maybe eventually become part of an online 'Professional Learning Community."

As I am no longer working in the role of librarian the name of this blog no longer makes sense but I am going to continue with it anyway. I have decided that this year (from now on until June) I will blog about picture books and young adult fiction that I have read. At least then I will have my own online record of wonderful children's books to refer back to. Here at Graded www.graded.br there is a fantastic library filled to the brim with great reads so I shouldn't have a problem getting my hands on good books.

Even though I am no longer working as an elementary school librarian I am always checking Tara's blog http://techlibraryclassroom.blogspot.com/ and her book blog http://mstara.edublogs.org/ for inspiration.

So, let's see if I can stick to the plan and fill this blog with posts about books I have liked (or not).