Review ~ Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Title: Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Review: This book was hilarious. I laughed out loud so many times that people were starting to look at me funny. I think the biggest selling point of this series is the drawings which was a brilliant idea by the author. It still allows the reader to use his/her imagination, but it conveys the absolute absurdity of the situations the protagonist gets himself into.

As a teacher, it's always great to find books that kids of all ages (especially boys) like to read and the bonus is it's one I can enjoy too! It brought back memories of my own struggles in elementary school, but in a "it's always good to find a way to laugh about it" kind of way.

I know the live-action movie is out this weekend and I'm sure it will do well, but I think it would have been better as an animated film (maybe stop-motion). I think the real people will spoil the fun a bit because real people never live up to our own imagination. I'll update this after I've seen the movie and see if I change my mind. I'll also see what my students thought of the movie.

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Review ~ Devil's Arithmetic

Title: The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars
My Review: Initally I thought this book kind of plodded along and didn't delve too deeply. I started to wonder why it was lauded as an award winning novel. After reading the entire novel, this initial pace and thought process makes sense. I could be wrong, but perhaps it was written that way to make us feel the apathy that Hannah felt about her family get togethers. I think most teenagers feel this way about our history (whether it be family, coutnry, culture or world history) which is really sad.

What sets this book apart is how both the main character Hannah and the reader is transported to another time and place in order to get a real sense of what the time was like by actually living through it. Instead of merely being an observer Hannah is thrust into a life she has only read or heard rambling stories of. I appreciated how the author played with what was real or imagined memories for Hannah through this experience.

As an avid reader of historical fiction, a student of history and an educator, I appreciate the opportunities for learning that a book like this presents. I think students today could benefit from actually living history to make it relevant and come alive. If only it were possible. My challenge as a teacher is to find ways to make that happen in the classroom every day. That's a huge undertaking! I'm glad I have books to help me along the way.

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Currently Reading... The 39 Clues Series

I'm still on the reading way too many books at once wagon, but I have recently focused on one particular series... The 39 Clues which is a planned 10 part book series each written by various children’s authors. The series follows the exploits of siblings Amy Cahill and Dan Cahill and their worldwide quest to unlock the secret of their family's power while pitted against six other teams that are bent on acquiring that ultimate power no matter what the cost. Each book explores a famous “Cahill” family member from history.

Book 1: The Maze of Bones, written by Rick Riordan – READ

Synopsis: Minutes before she died Grace Cahill changed her will, leaving her descendants an impossible decision: "You have a choice - one million dollars or a clue." Grace is the last matriarch of the Cahills, the world's most powerful family. Everyone from Napoleon to Houdini is related to the Cahills, yet the source of the family power is lost. 39 Clues hidden around the world will reveal the family's secret, but no one has been able to assemble them. Now the clues race is on, and young Amy and Dan must decide what's important: hunting clues or uncovering what REALLY happened to their parents.

About the Author: Rick Riordan is the bestselling author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.

My Thoughts: As a teacher, I can appreciate the educational benefits of a book that explores famous figures from history. Personally I am a big fan of mysteries, especially ones that involve history. I also like the interactive element of the story that allows the reader to follow along with the challenge online and try to figure out each clue. These books are pretty popular at the library that I taught at in Surrey. I would be interested in reading some kid’s reviews to see what aspects they like.

Book 2: One False Note, written by Gordon Korman – READING NOW

Synopsis: THIS JUST IN! Amy and Dan Cahill were spotted on a train, hot on the trail of one of 39 Clues hidden around the world. BUT WAIT! Police report a break-in at an elite hotel, and the suspects ALSO sound suspiciously like Amy and Dan. UPDATE! Amy and Dan have been seen in a car . . . no, in a speedboat chase . . . and HOLD EVERYTHING! They're being chased by an angry mob?!? When there's a Clue on the line, anything can happen.

About the Author: Gordan Korman wrote his first book, This Can't be Happening at Macdonald Hall, when he was 12 years old for a coach who suddenly found himself teaching 7th grade English. He later took that episode and created a book out of it, as well, in The Sixth Grade Nickname Game, where Mr. Huge was based on that 7th grade teacher. He is the author of more than 50 books.

My Thoughts: As this novel examines Mozart’s life, it holds a particular interest for me due to my music background. I like how this continued to advance the quest to find the 39 clues. We also learned a lit more about all the "family members" including how far they will go to advance in the game. Their au pair is turning out to be pretty useful - I'm guessing we will learn more about her as we go along. I'm sure she is not there helping them by accident or out of convenience.

I never knew about Mozart's sister even though I studied music history in college for 2 years. Did I just miss that part or was it not included? Hmmm. Anyway there is a book called Mozart's Sister by Nancy Moser, perhaps I shall have to add that to my rapidly growing list.

Book 3: The Sword Thief, written by Peter Lerangis

Book 4: Beyond the Grave, written by Jude Watson

Book 5: The Black Circle, written by Patrick Carman

Book 6: In Too Deep, written by Jude Watson

Book 7: The Viper's Nest, written by Peter Lerangis

Book 8: The Emperor's Code, written by Gordon Korman, to be released April 6, 2010

Book 9: Title TBD, written by Linda Sue Park, to be released May 25, 2010

Book 10: Title TBD, written by Margeret Peterson Haddix, to be released August 31, 2010