A Thousand Never Evers – Update

Overall Rating: ★ Rating:83 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.15 Fraction:4.15★ Rating:83 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.15 Fraction:4.15★ Rating:83 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.15 Fraction:4.15★ Rating:83 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.15 Fraction:4.15½ Rating:83 Star Piece:0.15 Fraction:4.1583%
A Thousand Never Evers
Shana Burg
Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2008
Historical Fiction
ISBN-10: 0385734700
320 pages

Synopsis

I was recently able to connect with Shana Burg, and she mentioned that she has just updated her website with more tools for educators. I thought I would post an update in case any teachers or librarians are looking for tools. Enjoy! http://www.shanaburg.com/educators.php.

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Posted in 2008, Best Of, Classroom, English/Reading, Historical Fiction, History/Period, Recommended, Reviews | No Comments »

I Am The Darker Brother – Reviewing Classics

Overall Rating: ★ Rating:98 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.9 Fraction:4.9★ Rating:98 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.9 Fraction:4.9★ Rating:98 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.9 Fraction:4.9★ Rating:98 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.9 Fraction:4.9½ Rating:98 Star Piece:0.9 Fraction:4.998%
I Am The Darker Brother
Compiler: Arnold Adoff
Simon Pulse, (reprint edition) 1997
Genre
ISBN: 0689808690
192 pages

Synopsis

A collection of African American poetry from the 20th century originally compiled in the late 60s, I Am The Darker Brother is one of the few anthologies of African American poetry amassed specifically for younger readers. From cover to cover, each poet leaves a legacy about life in America as ‘the other’. This edition adds more current writers that carved out a career post 1968, like Maya Angelou, Rita Dove, and Ishmael Reed.

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Posted in Award Winners, Best Of, Classics, Classroom, English/Reading, Geography/Culture, History/Period, Poetry, Reviews, Social Commentary | No Comments »

The Arrival

Overall Rating: ★ Rating:92 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.6 Fraction:4.6★ Rating:92 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.6 Fraction:4.6★ Rating:92 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.6 Fraction:4.6★ Rating:92 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.6 Fraction:4.6½ Rating:92 Star Piece:0.6 Fraction:4.692%
The Arrival
Shaun Tan
Arthur A. Levine Books, 2007
Graphic Novel – Fantasy Fiction
ISBN-10: 0439895294
128 pages

Synopsis

A story told solely through breathtaking art, Tan paints an imaginatory tale of an immigrant who leaves his family in a dangerous country in order to find work in a new place and save money to bring his family there.

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Posted in 2007, Art, Best Of, Classroom, English/Reading, Fantasy/Science Fiction, Geography/Culture, Graphic Novels, History/Period, Ignite Imagination, Recommended, Reviews | No Comments »

The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian

Overall Rating: ★ Rating:96 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.8 Fraction:4.8★ Rating:96 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.8 Fraction:4.8★ Rating:96 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.8 Fraction:4.8★ Rating:96 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.8 Fraction:4.8½ Rating:96 Star Piece:0.8 Fraction:4.896%
The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian
Sherman Alexie
Little, Brown Young Readers, 2007
Fiction
ISBN-10: 0316013684
240 pages
National Book Award Winner

Synopsis

Told from the first person narrative of Arnold Spirit, aka Junior, the story chronicles a year in his life as a Spokan Indian from Wellpinit, WA, as he bravely decides to go to a high school outside of the reservation in a neighboring White town. Forced to overcome his insecurities as an ethnic outsider and his handicaps and speech impediments having been born with water on the brain, Junior discovers that choosing hope and pursuing his dreams will be the most difficult thing he’s ever done.

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Posted in 2007, Art, Award Winners, Best Of, Classroom, English/Reading, Fiction (non-fantasy), Geography/Culture, Graphic Novels, Recommended, Reviews, Social Commentary | No Comments »

Chains

Overall Rating: ★ Rating:98 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.9 Fraction:4.9★ Rating:98 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.9 Fraction:4.9★ Rating:98 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.9 Fraction:4.9★ Rating:98 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.9 Fraction:4.9½ Rating:98 Star Piece:0.9 Fraction:4.998%
Chains
Laurie Halse Anderson
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2008
Historical Fiction
ISBN-10: 1416905855
320 pages
The National Book Awards Nominee

Synopsis

With both her mother and her master now dead, a young and brave girl named Isabel tells her new owner that her previous owner had the papers drawn up to set her free. However, no one believes her, and she and her sister are soon sold again and shipped to New York City during the midst of the Revolutionary War. Battling against all odds, Isabel must fight to protect her sister, herself, and her burning desire to be free.

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Posted in 2008, Award Winners, Best Of, Classroom, Historical Fiction, History/Period, Recommended, Reviews, Series, Social Commentary | No Comments »

An Acceptable Time

Overall Rating: ★ Rating:60 Fullstar:3 Star Piece:0 Fraction:3★ Rating:60 Fullstar:3 Star Piece:0 Fraction:3★ Rating:60 Fullstar:3 Star Piece:0 Fraction:3☆ Rating:60 Fraction:3☆ Rating:60 Fraction:360%
An Acceptable Time (Book 5 – The Time Quintet)
Madeleine L’Engle
Square Fish, 1989
Fantasy Fiction
ISBN-10: 0312368585
224 pages

Synopsis

Polly O’Keefe visits her grandparents’ farm in Connecticut, a familiar area for from previous books, to receive private tutoring. While exploring the outlying areas of the farm, Polly travels back 3000 years to that very spot, referred to as a time spiral.

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Posted in Classroom, History/Period, Reviews, Series | No Comments »

The Wednesday Wars

Overall Rating: ★ Rating:94 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.7 Fraction:4.7★ Rating:94 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.7 Fraction:4.7★ Rating:94 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.7 Fraction:4.7★ Rating:94 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.7 Fraction:4.7½ Rating:94 Star Piece:0.7 Fraction:4.794%
The Wednesday Wars
Gary D. Schmidt
Clarion Books, 2007
Historical Fiction
ISBN: 0618724834
< 272 pages
Newbery Honor Book

Synopsis

Holling Hoodhood is a normal 7th grader, just trying to get by and emerge from middle school as unscathed as possible. However, his new teacher Mrs. Baker has made this a bit difficult for him.

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Posted in 2007, Award Winners, Best Of, Classroom, English/Reading, Historical Fiction, History/Period, Recommended, Reviews, Social Commentary | No Comments »

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