Good books

As stated previously I've been a lazy blogger. But all I can do is keep at it and try to make amends. On that note, I'll share a few reviews on some YA novels that I've read lately (one is a re-read).

Going Bovine by Libba Bray
Bray's novel, Going Bovine is insanely funny and truly remarkable. It is unlike any book I've read to date. It features 16 year-old Cameron Smith as the angsty protagonist who has the great misfortune of contracting mad cow disease. Bray use of voice is masterful and she gives Cameron the means to share his experience. It is a wild trip with a little person named Gonzo, a talking yard gnome named Balder, fire giants, and the Wizard of Reckoning. Cameron is guided by a punk-style angel named Dulcie.
This book is funny, sad, and quirky. It is on my list of must-reads for 2009.

A HUGE must read for 2009 is Suzanne Collins' Catching Fire. This follow up to the wildly successful Hunger Games is even better than the first title. This is quite a feat; The Hunger Games was a well crafted novel.
Catching Fire picks right up after Katniss' success in the Games. She has returned home to what is supposed to be a life of luxury as a winning tribute. But an easy life it will not be, the authorities announce that in honor of the games' 75th anniversary they will do the unthinkable and bring back all the previous winners to compete in the arena. The Capitol is reeling from a growing uprising throughout the various districts and needs to tighten their grip and control the people.
Once again Peeta and Katniss must do the impossible. This book continues to astound me. I literally woke up in the middle of the night AFTER I had finished it because I couldn't stop thinking about the story and what had happened.

Taken by Norah McClintock is a novel from Orca Publishing. This title is great for reluctant readers. It is a short book but unlike Orca's old format it is in the trade paperback size and has a great cover that is sure to grab their attention.
The novel opens up with Stephanie returning home from a day in the city. Despite offers of a ride home and concerns that a murderer is at large she decides to walk home. On the walk home, she is followed and brought down with an injection and awakens to find herself tied up in dirty shack in the middle of nowhere.
She has to find a way out or end up like the girls who disappeared before her. There is a huge twist that will leave YA readers stunned.

That's it for today. I'll set my calendar for later in the week and add some new books. I've been reading like a maniac.

Getting back into blogging

Well, I've been a lazy, lazy blogger for a very long time. I'm ready to blog again.

Here's what I've been reading:
Columbine (Cullen) - still in progress

Quick Pick nominations I just finished:
Strange Angels (St. Crow)
Something, Maybe (Scott)
Just Another Hero (Draper)
The Chosen One (Williams)
Breathless (McDaniel)
Jumped (Williams-Garcia)
Perfect Chemistry (Ellekeles)
Vans: Off the Wall - Stories of Sole from Vans

Pleasure reading I just finished:
Pat Conroy's South of Broad
Catching Fire (Collins)

Time to review a few books

Well, I'm at it again. I've been reading up a storm! Check out these two!

Wrecked by E.R. Frank
Life can change in an instant. Unfortunately for Anna this is all too true after she is in a serious car accident that kills her brother's girlfriend, Cameron. As the driver of the other car, Anna is wracked with guilt. That moment where life changed has truly stopped Anna and her family from living fully. Anna's guilt, her brother's grief, and her parent's issues take the family in new directions as they journey toward acceptance, healing, and ultimately greater understanding of one another. Great book!

Sucker Punch by David Hernandez
Marcus (aka "Nub") opens up the story by sharing his deepest secret; he daydreamed about killing his father. Life in their home was fraught with violence. Marcus' family harbors a huge secret-- dad is seriously abusive especially with Nub's younger brother, Enrique. After a particularly violent episode where his dad knocks out Enrique's front teeth, his dad took off leaving the family relieved. The fractured family mended itself in different ways. Marcus used drugs and alcohol to numb the pain and guilt, Enrique started therapy, received medication, and started pounding out his frustration on the walls of his room. When dad reaches out and asks to come home and this sets the boys off in new directions. They take a road trip to see their dad, with Enrique's green-haired girlfriend, Oliver (Nub's best friend), and a gun. What will they do when they see the man who nearly destroyed them?

CSLA Conference

Well, I'm back in the blogging saddle again! I've been ridiculously busy lately and have been neglectful.

The CSLA Annual Conference in Ontario was fabulous! I enjoyed the workshops and had great fun with my presentation despite a little hiccup when my podcast didn't play. My presentation, "Booktalks: A Blueprint for Building Readers," touched on traditional booktalking but also innovative booktalks either through podcasting using Audacity or using MovieMaker. We were able to create a podcast on the spot to demonstrate the ease of Audacity. I have a feeling that several people will be going to buy some inexpensive microphones very soon.

Marc McPhee really inspired me to use a wiki to host my presentation docs and that was further enhanced when Heather Gruenthal, Western High School in Anaheim suggested that I move the docs stored on my yahoo group Library Resources. So, a bigger better wiki was born and I'm excited about the possibilities for collaboration! Woo hoo.

Week 9, Things 20-23

#20 YouTube
YouTube is great, but it can be a huge time-waster. I have spent some time on it and found this video featuring a Japanese game show that is basically a human tetris game. It is absolutely hilarious.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=0bK63uSTTNs


I also loved March of the Librarians and checked out the 2.0 and Reilly clip on the definition of Web 2.0. Interesting stuff. I just wish my connection at home was as fast as the one at school. For some reason my Mac stutters on the video clips. Annoying, kind of like a cell phone that is breaking up.

#21 Podcasts
As much as I enjoyed looking for interesting podcasts, I remain a frustrated user at this point. I cannot figure out why computer continues to play videos in a stuttering manner. I have changed my settings and player choice. Grrrr. I will check more out at work, hopefully things will be better with a T3 line...

22. eBooks and Audio eBooks
I spent some time browsing and found a great deal of the classics and all for free. That is a great resource for teachers. I like that things are available in a variety of formats-- mp3, pdf, etc. I listened to a few of the audio recordings and they were of high quality and well done. I can really see how this would be a great help to students who are ELLs or who have handicapping conditions and need a little help in a different format. This is great scaffolding to bolster those who need it.

23. Summarize your thoughts about this program.
This CSLA program is another outstanding example of what our membership produces. Once again you all have given a gift that will keep on giving as we share our new Web 2.0 skills with our students and staff. I was pleasantly surprised quite a few times with the 2.0 tools. It truly is a dynamic addition to our tool belt. Old applications and exercises are so dry compared with the new applications that I've experienced. I can't wait to rework my lessons and teach my staff/students some awesome new skills.
Thanks so much for your support and encouragement. The 2.0 deserves a big round of applause. Thanks again for putting together such a great program!

Week 8, things 18-19, Online Apps & Tools

#18
I took a look at Zoho Writer. I love the concept! I cannot begin to figure out the number of times that I've sent or received a document that could not be read. (I'm a big fan of saving things in Rich Text Format.) But this will never be a problem again while ZoHo Writer is available. With this program you can create, edit and share documents completely online. I did have a little difficulty, but I noticed that it is a Beta version which means that the kinks will be worked out. Great tool for students and staff. Love it.

#19- Library Thing
Okay, that was a huge time sucker. I know I was only going on for a little while to check it out and next thing I know I'm on for a couple of hours immersed in the book world. A few of my favorites are fairly popular. I'm in my vampire phase right now so Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse from Stephanie Meyer was listed quite a few times. Those books also rated great attention in the book reviews and YA Lit group. Fun stuff. I had heard about LibraryThing awhile back but just didn't take the time to get on it. I'm in now and will add more books to my virtual library. I only had time to put in 35 books.
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/BookDiva1

Week 7, Things #16-17, Wiki World

#16 I have always been a Wiki snob of the highest order. I have battled their use (Wikipedia specifically) and find that its strength is that it is essentially a one-stop shop for information. It is easier for a student to find what he/she is looking for when they go straight to Wikipedia. That said, after experiencing the sample wikis I can see some good uses for a wiki.

I can see it being used by teachers as a tool for students to share their knowledge (class project), I love that it is an unofficial tool for the CSLA annual conference in November, and I saw a variety of uses by all types of libraries. I can see myself using one to share knowledge with teachers and library professionals or with students to share book reviews.

So, for now I've called a truce with the Wiki world.

#17
http://calcurriculum.pbwiki.com/Online-Applications-and-Tools Check out these great ideas for infusing online applications into your classroom. My idea was #8 which was my favorite thing of the 23 things I've learned about. The Sand Box is a good idea for the Wiki, but a little confusing. I ended up posting to the Online Applications page but it seemed appropriate. Someone could always edit mine out if they didn't want it there I suppose. ; )