This has been a great reading week! I was about a third of the way into Same Sun Here by Silas House & Neela Vaswani last week. I have finished it but I'm not totally sure of my feelings about it. It was a good book. I enjoyed reading it. It was interesting in the way the two main characters wrote letters back and forth to each other as pen pals. It was written in a clear, character driven voice that was enjoyable. As the reader, it was easy to hear the voice of the characters in your ear as you read. It was slightly disappointing to me in that I didn't really feel like it built to anything in the story. There were building events and I felt like the plot rose to something, but then it left me hanging without concluding as I hoped it would. It was a good read that I would still say is worth reading, it just didn't end in a satisfying way. But, that is just my opinion!
I also read Grandpa Green this week. This was a sweet story about a young boy and his Great-Grandpa. It told the story of his Great-Grandpa's life and gave a child's view of his Grandpa Green's aging process. It was a lovely story and one with unique illustrations that I could see sharing with my kindergarten students. The illustrations are different from most books and I think the book would evoke some interesting conversations with my students.
I also began to read Math Work Stations by Debbie Diller. I had gift cards from Barnes and Noble burning a hole in my pocket and after seeing Debbie Diller speak about small groups at the All Write conference, and hearing about her session on math work stations, I had a renewed interest in reading this book. I just got it in the mail last night and I have just begun to dig in. Already, I am liking what I am reading. I was lucky to participate in Math Recovery training early in the summer and I have dates planned to meet with my teaching team in just a couple of weeks to begin reworking and developing a math curriculum. So, I guess I just have math on my mind lately! When the package arrived at my doorstep last night, even though I had planned to set the book aside until I was done with my other professional reading on reading and writing, I just couldn't wait. Those books have been set aside and this one is open next to my favorite chair waiting for me to come back to it.
What's next? Hmm...I'd like to say I will return to the professional reading I have been attempting on reading and writing...but I'm not sure I'm in that mind set just yet. I have Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer Holm next in my YA stack and I'm also currently reading The Time Traveler's Wife. I guess I'll just see what comes up next! Sooner or later, as soon as I can get my hands on them at my local library, I intend to read the Hunger Games series. So many books...never enough time! Happy reading!
I liked the way that Same Sun Here was written in letters & slowly came to them meeting. There was no huge crisis I know, but I still liked it, Robin. You've made me want to re-look at it, though. I have seen Grandpa Green, but still haven't read it, & don't teach math, so... I've heard that Turtle In Paradise is really good. Thanks for sharing about all of these.
ReplyDeleteA great list of books- I still need to read Same Sun Here which Jen recommended to me a while ago. I liked Grandpa Green- it was such a unique book. I haven't read anything else you've mentioned; I'll have to look into them.
ReplyDeleteHappy reading this week! :)
I am 100% with you on Same Sun Here. I read it a few weeks ago, and felt like I was missing something, since so many others had raved about it. In the end, it comes down to personal preference, and maybe it just wasn't "my" book. I DID really enjoy Grandpa Green, though, which I also read this week. A slightly more serious side of Lane Smith, but very well-written and could be used different ways with different ages.
ReplyDeleteMaria @novalibrarymom.com