I just found this blogger who reads young adult books.  She has a great list of suggested books, so if you find yourself saying, “I can’t find any good books,” check out her site! 

http://challengingthebookworm.wordpress.com/

Also, Zionsville West Middle School has its own well-followed blogger.  Laura is a 6th grader at Z-West, and she has an amazing blog about all of the books she reads.  Her blog is a great example to all of us!

http://lauramitolife.blogspot.com/

Anything But Typical, by Nora Raleigh, was a fantastic, insightful book that gave me a window into the mind of a person with autism.  This book is about Jason, a 12 year-old boy with autism.  He is incredibly intelligent, and he is an amazing writer.  However, Jason’s verbal communication is extremely limited, and he tends to act out impulsively when he is upset.  I was fascinated with the way he perceives the world around him, and this book has given me some great insight into my students.  It allowed me to understand individuals on the autism spectrum in a new way, and ultimately I think it will make me a better teacher and friend.

In this novel, the character who changed the most over time was Jason’s mother.  She is struggling with understanding her son, and she is heart broken that her child is unable to communicate with her in a way that she understands.  She wants Jason to verbalize his love for her and share his feelings with her, but that is not how his brain is wired.  As the novel progresses Jason’s mother learns that just because Jason doesn’t share his feelings in a “typical” way, Jason still loves her.  She learns to accept Jason for who he is.  By the end of the novel she embraces who Jason is and comes to realize his is not typical…he is exceptional.

If you liked Out of My Mind, I think you’ll really enjoy this novel!  It comes highly recommended!

I just finished Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. It was a great book, and I found it quite funny at times.  It is a book about how the beloved character, Peter Pan, comes to be, and it contains many recognizable characters from the Peter Pan story.

In the book Molly and Peter are constantly trying to prevent evil pirates from stealing “Star Stuff.”  This powerful “stuff” cannot fall into the pirates’ hands, so many external conflicts ensue.  While there are many battles between the two sides, I think the most powerful conflict is the internal conflict that Molly faces towards the end of the novel.  Molly must decide if she should save the Star Stuff or her friends.  She knows that terrible things will happen if she does not save the Star Stuff; however, she is torn because she knows her friends will surely die without her help.  Ultimately Molly makes a life changing decision, and you will have to read the book to find out what she chooses and to find out if she made the right choice.

I should note that when I was in New York this spring I was able to see the Off-Broadway production of this book.  While it followed the plot somewhat, I found the play to be even funnier than the book.  I’d give this book a four out of five stars, and I think you should definitely check it out.

I always say, “Life is too short for bad books!” I usually find that the books I enjoy most are the ones that are recommended to me by friends and family. So, I just wondered, what is your favorite book (or books)? I thought I’d start it off, but please share! I’ll be finishing some books soon, and I need some advice!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – I couldn’t put this book and its sequels down! I found myself reading it as I pumped gas into my car. Yes, it was that good!

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart – I found myself loving these books this summer. The characters are so quirky and funny. Plus you can’t beat a book that teaches you to embrace who you are!

 Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper – This book really made me think about how I view people who are different than me. It is a quick read, and ultimately I think I am a better person for having read it!

The novel, Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson, is a science fiction/adventure book that left me with many questions. In the book Maximum (Max) Ride, a 14 year old girl who happens to have wings and can fly, is the leader of a “flock” of five kids, Fang, Nudge, Iggy, Gasman, and Angel. Like Max, the rest of the flock is a group of mutant kids who can fly with large 13 feet wings. They were raised in a horrific lab environment, and with the aid of Jeb, a scientist in the lab, they were able to escape a few years ealier. When the book begins, we find that the scientists have found the flock because their henchmen, the Erasers who are half wolf and half human, find them at their home and kidnap the youngest of the group, Angel. In an effort to restore their flock and find out answers about their past, Max and group fly to rescue Angel. Along the way the meet several obstacles, but finally they are able to rescue Angel and get a bit of information on their own childhoods pre-Avian DNA.

Patterson’s book was enjoyable, and I did find myself wanting to know what was going to happen next. That said, I didn’t really get into the book until about half-way through. I thought the beginning was slow, and I just really didn’t feel like the background story between the mutant teens and their wolf stalkers was believable. I only found myself interested once I learned there was a mystery behind the mutants. As a positive, the book is a quick read. The chapters are short, so for those of you who feel like reading takes forever this book could be a good fit for you. Also, the book leaves you with a cliff hanger that leaves you wanting to know more. (Granted, sometimes that is a negative because I can’t wait to find out the next piece of information.)

I would recommend this book to young readers if they enjoy science fiction or adventure. It’s a fun story that moves quickly once you get past the beginning. If you’re someone who doesn’t have the patience to stick with a book, then this probably isn’t the book for you. Ultimately, it was enjoyable, but I am left with quite a few questions. Most likely I’ll pick up the next book because I can’t stand not knowing.

S.E. Hinton’s novel, The Outsiders, is a realistic fiction novel about teenage boys in the 1960’s. Ponyboy Curtis is a member of the Greasers—a gang composed of his closest friends and brothers, and a group known for being tough, dirty, and poor. The Greasers rivals are the Socs—a group of rich kids who are led by Bob, a young man who is known for wearing big rings and beating up Greasers. One night Bob and his gang jump an unsuspecting Ponyboy and his friend Johnny. In desperation Johnny pulls his knife on Bob, and Bob is killed. Bob’s death results in a series of events that demonstrate the pitfalls and repercussions of what can happen when people can’t learn to get along. This book shows how you can find heroes in the most unlikely places, and makes it clear that it is never too late for anyone to change.

S.E. Hinton clearly demonstrated her purpose through her portrayals of Ponyboy and his friends. Though some of the events in this book seem unbelievable, Hinton’s characters are very believable and I truly believed that the rivalry between the Socs and Greasers was real. Her themes are clearly conveyed, and I found myself evaluating the way in which I view others. As much as I believed in her characters and her themes, I am not the biggest fan of this kind of novel. I like a good adventure story, but The Outsiders would probably be better suited for someone who enjoys realistic action movies with fight scenes. If you like stories about real-life issues, then you would really enjoy this novel.

Ultimately I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy realistic fiction and a good fight. The characters are interesting and well-developed, and there is a rarely a dull moment in the book. The best aspect of the book, in my humble opinion, is the theme. I think that this novel teaches a great lesson about cliques and the affects of stereotyping. No matter if you are in middle school or in a nursing home, we all could all benefit from Ponyboy’s story.

I guess I’m technically cheating by clumping the entire Percy Jackson Series, written by Rick Riordan, together, but I am the teacher so I’m going to bend the rules a bit. Forgive me.
I would give the entire Percy Jackson & the Olympians series a 9 out of 10. I really couldn’t put these books down. I wanted to know what was going to happen, and I found myself looking forward to the next time I could pick up the book. I think the fact that I finished the entire series in about three weeks proves my point. I’m also someone who has never had any interest in Greek mythology. Now, though, I find Greek mythology quite enjoyable. Riordan makes mythology hip and fun.
I didn’t give it a 10 because I have read some fantastic books in my time, and I feel like it doesn’t compare to those award winning books. In my mind the themes are not as strong as say, Fahrenheit 451. Overall, I suggest you give the books a try if you haven’t already. I really enjoyed all five of them.

Rose was a minor character in Out of My Mind by Sharon m. Draper, but I think she plays a large role in the overall theme of the novel. Rose is the character that feels compassion for Melody despite the fact that she in a wheel chair. But, like so many of us, Rose often finds herself going along with the crowd and ignoring Melody at crucial moments in the book because she doesn’t want to be judged or made fun of by other students. For instance, Rose followed the group and didn’t contact Melody’s family to tell them the flight had been cancelled for their team trip to Washington D.C. Rose represents so many people. Sometimes I regrettably find myself acting like her. In the novel she helped me realize my own shortcomings, so I think that she played an important role of carrying the ultimate theme to the readers—the theme that everyone is capable of greatness, and just because someone is different it doesn’t mean they are any less of a person.

Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
-By Robert Frost

What I like best about the poem Ponyboy recites in The Outsiders is its vivid imagery.  I can picture the sunset, and it fits perfectly at that specific moment in the book.  So what did you think of the poem?  And what are some poems that you’ve written that include imagery?  I look forward to seeing your creations!

www.piclits.com