IT'S MONDAY! What Are You Reading?

Thanks Jen and Kellee for hosting this weekly event at Teach Mentor Texts!

So, I have not been reading many books lately. Lots of online reading in little snippets. I've been busy finishing up my ebook project for Choice Literacy so I try not to get too caught up in many books--otherwise I won't do the writing I need to do.  But I did fit in a bit this week.

I read and LOVED NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern. What an amazing adult novel.  It was recommended by Jen and I am so glad I read it. I was worried at first, that it would be like WATER FOR ELEPHANTS which is not a favorite of mine.  But it wasn't.  This is a story of a circus--of magic, of love, of loss and of life. It is an amazing story-the characters will stay with me and I love the way the book is crafted. I'm not usually about setting but the setting in this book matters and I think it will live with me like no other setting has.  Brilliant.

I also read lots online. A few pieces stand out for me.   One of my favorite reads this week was a post by Kylene Beers.  In the post, "How Cancer Helped Me Find my Superficial Self" she shares a recent keynote she gave at a breast cancer awareness luncheon. A powerful piece by an amazing woman.  One I've shared with everyone I've talked to since I read it.

Another was a post by Jen at TEACH MENTOR TEXTS called WONDER REMINDS US THAT KINDNESS MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND. If you missed it, it is a must-read. I so wanted to attend the R.J. Palacio event at Anderson's this weekend but just couldn't fit it in. So glad so many of my friends posted all about it.  Sounds like it was a great day.

I've also been reading lots on the Boston Marathon which even I find amusing. I follow lots of running blogs these days and just like the Newbery Awards for reading teachers, the Boston Marathon is the topic of conversation on many of these blogs this week.  The race is today but with the predicted heat, the organizers are sending out lots of warnings to runners. I feel badly for people who have worked so hard for this--the weather is definitely a little bit unexpected. I loved this article about the technology piece of the Boston Marathon and I love that you can follow runners with their bib number. So fascinating how much technology has changed everything. I also enjoyed reading a little bit about fashion tips for the marathon. I also like this post about the day before the Boston Marathon by a mom/runner I follow. This mom has 12 kids--ages 3 to 16 and she is running the Boston Marathon. Amazing, really  :-)

I also thought this article on the Common Core was interesting and worth reading (from EdWeek).

And of course I read my regular blogs and tweets.  Heard about lots of new books, authors, etc.

Pardon My French -- a poem about language

PARDON MY FRENCH

Do I parlez-vous Français?
Well, I really couldn't say.
I know that checkers are passé,
And what a fencer says: "Touché!"

Merci gives someone my thanks.
Money used to be called francs.
(Now they've euros at their banks).
Beyond these words, my mind's a blank.

No, wait! A lot is said "beaucoup,"
And ballerinas wear tutus.
When you're mad, shout, "Sacrebleu!"
That's enough of French -- "Mon Dieu!"

© Mary Lee Hahn, 2012


Poem #15, National Poetry Month, 2012

This poem goes out to Josie's husband, Jim. He gave me the title...or should we say, gave it BACK to me, since I'm the one who said it first?!?

The poem has nothing to do with the original context, but that's probably for the best...




Cathy, at Merely Day By Day, is joining me in a poem a day this month. Other daily poem writers include Amy at The Poem Farm, Linda at TeacherDance, Donna at Mainely Write, Laura at Writing the World for Kids (daily haiku), Liz at Liz in Ink (daily haiku), Sara at Read Write Believe (daily haiku), Jone at Deo Writer (daily haiku)...and YOU?

Found Poem -- Steven King -- 11-22-63: A Novel

For a moment,

everything was clear,

and when that happens

you see that the world

is barely

there

at all.

Don't we all secretly know this?

It's a perfectly balanced mechanism

of shouts and echoes

pretending to be wheels and cogs,

a dreamclock

chiming beneath a mystery-glass we call life.

Behind it?

Below it and around it?

Chaos, storms.

Men with hammers,

men with knives,

men with guns.

Women who twist

what they cannot dominate

and belittle

what they cannot understand.

A universe of horror and loss

surrounding a single lighted stage

where mortals dance

in defiance

of

the

dark.

from 11-22-63: A Novel

by Steven King

Scribner, 2011

p. 615-616

Poem #14, National Poetry Month 2012

I was listening to 11-22-63 in the car this morning, and when I heard this, I shut off my iPod and just let King's words soak in. 

Later, during Saturday errands, I took the print copy of the book off the shelf at B&N, found my spot, and (like a spy or something) took photos of the text on the two pages.

On Thursday night (at the cake pop event), Cathy was talking about how she was living with her eyes wide open for the next poem. Yeah, me, too. And apparently, we should have our ears open as well. Thank you, Mr. King, for today's poem.

Cathy, at Merely Day By Day, is joining me in a poem a day this month. Other daily poem writers include Amy at The Poem Farm, Linda at TeacherDance, Donna at Mainely Write, Laura at Writing the World for Kids (daily haiku), Liz at Liz in Ink (daily haiku), Sara at Read Write Believe (daily haiku), Jone at Deo Writer (daily haiku)...and YOU?

GREEN by Laura Vaccaro Seeger (**gush alert**)

Green
by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Roaring Brook Press, 2012
review copy provided by the publisher

If it's by Laura Vaccaro Seeger, I know I'm going to be surprised and amazed. This book takes surprise and amazement to a whole new level.

GREEN is an homage to the color green, to all of its shades and hues. Each spread is a painting that goes with the text, and each page has one or more cut-outs that include color from the next spread. The text seems to be a simple rhyming list, but as one who has worked really hard on the endings of my poems, I so admire the fact that her text is far from "simple" and her ending...perfect.

I read GREEN the first time for the language, barely noticing Seeger's signature cut-outs. I got to the end and said (aloud, to myself, in the still-sleeping house), "Wow."

Then I read it again and noticed the cut-outs. How the art in THIS page links magically to the art in the NEXT page. One page turn that makes me absolutely shake my head in wonder: The cut-out that describes the green of the jungle where the tiger is hiding says "Jungle" beside the text "green," but when you turn the page, the word "Jungle" disappears into the background of the salamander and the word "khaki" appears in the cut-out...wait a minute...that means the word khaki was hiding somewhere back in the tiger picture!!!

I read it a third time with my fingers. Finding every cut-out. Exploring what the exposed color means in this picture, turning the page and exploring what the color means in the next picture, and going back again.

This book is astonishingly, amazingly, delightfully BEAUTIFUL in every way.

I hesitate to even give you a link to the book trailer. It shows you the WHOLE book. I want you to hold the book in your hands and experience the surprises in the tactile way that only the real live book provides. But if you must...it's here.

Choice Literacy Podcast with Kevin Hodgson

I had the opportunity to talk with Kevin Hodgson about technology in the Writing Workshop recently. The podcast is up at Choice Literacy this week. I have learned so much from him over the years and was thrilled to chat with him about his current thinking. Enjoy!

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/1822.cfm

Poetry Friday -- CAKE-KU - a cake pop haiku

CAKE-KU

Planet on a stick,

I orbit, hungry --

a drooling comet.

© Mary Lee Hahn

Poem #13, National Poetry Month 2012

This poem was written in collaboration with Franki. She made the cake pops for a gathering at her home last night, and she "donated them" to my poem-a-day project, along with providing the title and poetry form for today's poem. Thanks, Franki!!!

Anastasia has the Poetry Friday roundup today at Booktalking.

Cathy, at Merely Day By Day, is joining me in a poem a day this month. Other daily poem writers include Amy at The Poem Farm, Linda at TeacherDance, Donna at Mainely Write, Laura at Writing the World for Kids (daily haiku), Liz at Liz in Ink (daily haiku), Sara at Read Write Believe (daily haiku), Jone at Deo Writer (daily haiku)...and YOU?

I've Lost My Hippopotamus

I've Lost My Hippopotamus
by Jack Prelutsky
illustrated by Jackie Urbanovic
Greenwillow Books, 2012
review copy provided by the publisher

Kids just love Jack Prelutsky!

This collection has a different feel than the others. Maybe it's because James Stevenson isn't the illustrator. There are plenty of silly poems, but there are also some that are thoughtful...on a kid level.  Here's an excerpt of "I Planted a Whistle:"

I planted a whistle
And grew a flute,
I planted a shoelace
And grew a boot,
I planted a button
And grew a blouse,
I planted a whisker
And grew a mouse.

There are even a few haiku!

"Mole" 

Tunnel! I tunnel!
I never see my tunnels,
Yet they comfort me. 

DECLARATION - a sky poem, a tree poem

DECLARATION

I
am sky,

background
for your silhouette.

We
are trees,

earthbound
artists of form and substance.


© Mary Lee Hahn, 2012



Poem #12, National Poetry Month 2012

I have another student who is choosing words from the dictionary for her poetry prompts. I decided to choose one with her yesterday. I got SILHOUETTE. She got MERMAID.

Cathy, at Merely Day By Day, is joining me in a poem a day this month. Other daily poem writers include Amy at The Poem Farm, Linda at TeacherDance, Donna at Mainely Write, Laura at Writing the World for Kids (daily haiku), Liz at Liz in Ink (daily haiku), Sara at Read Write Believe (daily haiku), Jone at Deo Writer (daily haiku)...and YOU?

Supporting Readers at All Levels

I've still got a handful of readers in my fourth grade classroom who are reading beginning chapter books. As long as these books are what's "just right" for them and they are reading with understanding and joy, I don't mind. They'll get there, one book at a time!

Stink and the Midnight Zombie Walk
by Megan McDonald
illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
Candlewick Press, 2012
review ARC provided by the publisher

A couple of my boys read this arc and chatted with me about it when they'd finished. This story is mostly about Stink and Webster, and Stink is as funny as usual. He's trying to get money for a Midnight Zombie Walk. The boys' favorite parts were at lunch time, when the characters in the book talked about gross zombie things, and the pages of extra information, like "Zombify Yourself," and "Zombie After School Snacks."

Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Makes a Splash
by Jacqueline Jules
illustrated by Miguel Benitez
Albert Whitman & Company, 2012

In this fourth book in the Zapato Power series, Freddie Ramos' super power shoes go missing and Freddie has to figure out how to deal with a bully and how to conquer his fear of putting his face in the water at the swimming pool...all on his own.

Jasper John Dooley: Star of the Week
by Caroline Adderson
illustrated by Ben Clanton
Kids Can Press, 2012
review copy provided by the publisher

Jasper John Dooley is one of my new favorite characters! Seriously, how can you not love a character who has a collection of lint?!? (Including rare belly button lint from his dad's belly button!)

It's his turn to be Star of the Week, but things just aren't turning out right. His friend Ori has a new baby sister, and she seems to be getting all the attention, when it should be Jasper's week to shine. Even his wooden brother Earl bites him (gives him a splinter). But Jasper makes it all the way through the week to the day when his classmates write compliments to him.

Daisy's Perfect Word
by Sandra V. Feder
illustrated by Susan Mitchell
Kids Can Press, 2012
review copy provided by the publisher

Daisy is another great character! She collects WORDS! When her teacher announces that she's engaged, Daisy tries to figure out what the perfect gift should be. After she realizes that she wants to give Miss Goldner a special WORD as a gift, Daisy has to figure out which one is the perfect word.

I can't wait for the next books featuring all of these characters!

CHILDHOOD

CHILDHOOD

Scab -- pick it.

Booger -- flick it.

Penny -- find it.

Kite string -- wind it.

Horse -- pretend it.

Fort -- defend it.

Snowball -- throw it.

Marigold -- grow it.

Happiness -- scream it.

The future -- dream it.

© Mary Lee Hahn, 2012

Poem #11, National Poetry Month 2012

The first two lines of this poem jumped into my head, and the rest followed quickly behind. It was a fun poem to write. Many lines are ones I've lived...okay, I'll admit it...I've lived EVERY line of this poem! I'm still working on that last line...

Cathy, at Merely Day By Day, is joining me in a poem a day this month. Other daily poem writers include Amy at The Poem Farm, Linda at TeacherDance, Donna at Mainely Write, Laura at Writing the World for Kids (daily haiku), Liz at Liz in Ink (daily haiku), Sara at Read Write Believe (daily haiku), Jone at Deo Writer (daily haiku)...and YOU?