Tag Archives: Literature

Aug1

Minding My Gap

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Maybe it’s because I’m reading more blogs and tweets this summer, but I have been thinking a lot about what I’m reading and what I’m recommending (and what I’m not.)  In this June post from School Library Journal, Reading Nonfiction for Pleasure | On Common Core, the authors talk about how non-fiction is underrepresented on summer reading lists.  Ryan M. Hanna in his Reflections post on Nerdy Book Club discusses how teachers who reflect on their various reading lives (how they’ve progressed to the readers they have become) can help their students make better book choices.  Here’s part of my comment in response to Matt’s post:

“Right now I have an entire box full of fiction that I brought home from my library for summer reading. I had every intention of bringing home some non-fiction, and biographies, and graphic novels, but my box was already full!”

As I reflected (an read comments from Matt) I realized that I have a huge reading gap.  I love children’s fiction.  I love young adult fiction.  I love fiction in general.  Everything else I read when I get to it.  Of course… I never get to it.  (There’s just so much good fiction!)  I’m guilty of not recommending many genres (non-fiction, biographies, graphic novels) not because there are not amazing works out there, but because I don’t know it well enough to share.

I suggested this challenge:

“How about this challenge? What 5 books are on your “I Know I Should Read This But I’d Rather Clean the Cat’s Smelly Litter Box” list? OK… its not that I don’t want to read, these I really do, but as the saying goes… “so many books, so little time…” With a choice between these and a fiction book, I know what I’m going to choose.”

I agree… maybe the title of the challenge is a little harsh… How about the “Mind the Gap” Challenge.

Here’s my MTG list (and I’m completely embarrassed by this list…):

  • Babymouse by Jennifer L. Holm
  • The Boy Who Invented TV: The Story of Philo Farnsworth by Kathleen Krull
  • George Washington, spymaster by Thomas B. Allen
  • Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Shadow by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
  • Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland by Sally M. Walker

My goal for the remainder of the summer is to not only keep up with my fiction, but to mind my reading gap.  The MTG Challenge will be to read all of the books on my list (and then some.)  Look forward to some Summer Reading MTG posts in the future.

What titles do you know you should read, but keep pushing to the bottom of your stack? What’s on your MTG list? Are you up for the MTG challenge?

Jul22

Inspired Idea: Reading Remix

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Hold Fast Remix from M E Shenefiel on Vimeo.

I was listening to some Pandora yesterday and the station kept playing those funky, jazzy remixes with spoken word throughout.  Maybe I’m still lingering on the rhythms of Langston Hughes and Blue Balliett’s Hold Fast, but I kept stirring that around in my head.  In the middle of the night I woke up with this idea of creating reading remixes.

Similar to a book trailer, a reading remix could be used to promote a favorite book.  Key words, ideas, and phrases could be remixed with audio loops, and possibly images to create a composition that enhances the book and engages a prospective reader.  Students could work individually or in groups to promote a book club book.  For classroom novels, you could have different groups find quotes and phrases for different themes throughout the book.  The challenge is selecting the words and music and deciding how to manipulate the tracks so that the end product is aesthetically representative of the writing.

Admittedly there is not a lot to look at in the sample remix above.  When I created this earlier, I was more focused on finding and manipulating the words and music than the visual appeal.  Other images could have easily been added.  That’s one of the benefits to a project like this… there is all kinds of room for flexibility.

Has anyone else done something like this before?  What types of advice do you have for starting a project like this?

Jul18

Teach Mentor Texts: TMT Labels

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I am frequently asked for recommendations for books that can by used to teach a specific skill, particularly a writing skill.  Often times that leaves me scrambling and Googling to find some choices for the teacher.  Teach Mentor Texts is a blog that “focuses on sharing books that can be used to promote all areas of literacy.”  Language Arts teachers should check out this blog.  When you do, visit the “TMT Labels” page:

Teach Mentor Texts: TMT Labels.

This page features a glossary of all of the labels that Jen and Kellee have used to tag the books.  Then check out the word cloud in the right hand navigation bar.  Click on one of the tags and… “Presto!” you have books that match with that skill. The book reviews are very thorough (similar to the ones posted here but much more detailed.)

Read more: http://www.teachmentortexts.com/
Kellee is now blogging at  http://www.unleashingreaders.com/