Category Archives: Writers

Reel Reading: How about these book trailers?

Amy Rasmussen, Book Trailers, Books May 30, 2013 Comments: 2

20130207-190708It’s been a long time coming, but my students have finally produced some pretty good book trailers. I began showing trailers as a way to introduce books and encourage reading at the beginning of the year. Every Friday was silent reading day, and every Friday I chatted with kids about books they’d finished. We wrote on sticky notes and made a “recommendations” wall. We stood up and “testified” to the truth in books and how they touched our souls. No doubt, since I promoted reading more during class time this year, I created more readers.

Evidence? STAAR EOC scores are in. Almost every student who passed their reading test has been vocal in our classroom conversations about books this year. (One kiddo surprised me and scored satisfactorily–his average is a 26, but he passed the reading test. Go figure.)

I know. I know. Test scores are not everything. But… my readers certainly scored better than my non-readers.

On my classroom wall, I have my own six word memoir:  “Reading makes you smarter. Try it.” Those who did have done better than those who have not.

2 reading smarter

Our book trailer project is the culmination of our reading efforts this year. I wish we would have more time to polish them up, make sure we cited image sources, spelled words correctly and all that, but exams are next week, and bell schedules are crazy with awards assemblies, etc. Our time is gone.

Here’s a sampling of the most interesting of my student-made book trailers. Although not perfect, remember, these are 9th graders in an on-level English I class, Title I school. I’m a little proud.

Crackback by John Coy, created by Brandon. He used photos from our own football team.

Brandon Crackback

Unwind by Neal Shusterman, created by Heidi. Look at her hook!

Heidi –Unwind

A Child Called “It” by Dave Pelzer, created by Biridiana. She learned the medium on her own and came up with this!

Child Called It- Biri

The Lifeguard by Deborah Blumenthal, created by Kristen. Okay, so the trailer’s not great, but the video of the girl is Kristen herself. Cool.

The Lifeguard- Kristen

See You at Harry’s by Jo Knowles, created by Brenda. The use of quotes from the book creates the book’s selling points.

See You at Harry’s- Brenda

Reaction by Lesley Choyce, created by Ashley. Other than her characterization using Juno… <smile>

Reaction by Ashley

My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf, created by Jonathan. This one got traction when we showed it to the class. Wish it had more umph at the end.

Dahmer- Jonathan

I’d love to hear your ideas of using book trailers to create readers– or anything else you can teach me about books, kids, and reading!

My Rubric Failed Me

Amy Rasmussen May 28, 2013 Leave a comment

I needed this reminder. As my students stood up to share the posters they created for their Romeo and Juliet theme projects, I oohed and aahed along with the rest of my students when some of the most artfully skilled students shared their work. It’s not that I don’t differentiate my classroom instruction, but sometimes I forget to differentiate when it comes to how students can show me mastery of the skills they’ve learned.

Honestly, this year I think I’ve focused too much on writing. (Did I really just say that?)

As kids presented their theme poster, they had to explain how the quote they chose represented the theme of their project and how the images and colors they used to illustrate their poster reflected their quote and theme. Every single kid could do this orally. Not everyone could do it on the paper they were supposed to submit when they presented. Or some just didn’t want to. Sigh.

So, now I’m wondering how to “grade” some of these assignments. My rubric has failed me. It’s focused–like my class has been this year–heavy on the writing. “Think for me on paper.”

I needed this reminder. If it’s about mastery, there are lots of ways for students to show me what they know. I get the writing part and know that has to fit in somewhere–lots of wheres, but still. . . I just can’t assign a failing grade to a child that represented “See what a scourge is laid upon your hate” with a beautifully drawn tree that’s suffering from blight. There’s thinking here.  Luis tree with blight

And there’s thinking here:

Kelly bleeding heart

And here:

Biridiana's eye

And here:

Collage of projects

Oh, I better revisit that whole rubric debate.

It’s Monday: What Are You Reading?

Amy Rasmussen, AP English May 20, 2013 Leave a comment

Mon Reading Button PB to YAA couple of weeks ago I crashed the American Library Association annual meeting in Ft. Worth and bought an entrance pass to the exhibit hall so I could get free books. The best $25 I’ve spent in a while. See this new TBR pile?

books from ALA

Now, It’s Monday, and what am I reading? I DON’T KNOW. I don’t know where to start. Do you ever get that I’m so in love, infatuated, so gaga over books that it’s like drowning in your favorite chocolate syrup. That is me today.

So, I will start swimming.

I reach for the book on top, a lifesaver of non-fiction, and my ears start ringing and my heart beats faster. I’m always on the look out for engaging non-fiction, especially knowing that I am returning to the AP English Language classroom next year.

I read the prologue, and I breathe.

I begin chapter one, and I breathe faster.

“In a smallish London suburb where nothing much ever happened, my family gradually became the talk of the town. throughout my teens, wherever I went, I would always hear the same question, “How many brothers and sisters do you have?”

The answer, I understood, was already common knowledge. It had passed into the town’s body of folklore, exchanged between the residents like a good yarn.

Ever patient, I would dutifully rely, “Five sisters, and three brothers.”

Hey, me, too! Well, almost. I have four sisters and three brothers. But still. Not many people can claim they came from a family of so many kids. And while it might not be the most amazing lead to a book, it got me.

So, it’s Monday, and what am I reading?

Thinking in Numbers Is… by Daniel Tammet.  Here’s a review.

Thinking in Numbers

Teaching and Reaching Kids in Poverty

Amy Rasmussen May 15, 2013 Leave a comment

I sat in a meeting last week. It’s May. Week one of two weeks of testing. Kids are tired. Teachers are weary. We read an article called “How Poverty Affects Classroom Engagement.” Not surprisingly, the discussion fell flat. It’s not like we haven’t heard this information before–we teach in a Title I school, 74% low SES. The subtitle of the article read “Students from low-income households are more likely to struggle with engagement.”

 I quote the teacher next to me: “Duh.”

 According to the article, there are 7 reasons for struggling engagement:

1. Health and Nutrition. Doesn’t every human listen better, learn better, FEEL better when they are well-fed and well-rested?

2. Vocabulary. It’s not hard to figure out that kids from affluent or even not, print-rich families will know more words than kids who don’t. No surprise they struggle with reading.

3. Effort. If the student likes the teacher, he’s more likely to work for the teacher. Pretty logical.

4. Hope and the Growth Mindset. Encouragement, positive feedback, hope all lead to better student input and output. Pretty much like for every person everywhere: make me believe I can do it, I probably can.

5. Cognition. Teach cognition. Sometimes you just have to teach a kid how to think. This point above all the others is the one most overlooked. Don’t most teachers assume students know how to do this already?

6. Relationships. What matters most to the child is the relationships that make him feel safe, comfortable, cared for. Positive comments result in much more compliance and movement toward success than continual negative ones.

7. Distress. We all feel it at some point. How can we work effectively when we are stressed to the max? Remove the stress. Have more fun. Kids will respond, and hey, achieve more.

Yeah, tell us something we don’t know about our kids.

 After we read the article, we chunked it and added a few testimonials of how these things impact student achievement. Then we left.

Really? We talk and talk and talk about recognizing the issues that smack us in the face when we try to help our students, but how often do we take action on creating solutions? Yes, the article offers some, but nothing that the best teachers are not already trying. Trying doesn’t always work even for the best. We have to decide to do something more different.

 Ironically, I had a rant session (you know you have them, too) with a colleague earlier in the day, and we discussed these very things– except we made a list of our own hopes.

photo by Mike Bitzenhofer

Here’s four ideas we hope to get put into our practice next year:

1. Whole school read. I’ve heard of this done in communities and schools. I know that Dallas ISD is supporting Read Across America with their DALLAS Reads program and wide reading of The Lorax. I’ve heard of whole grade levels reading something as wonderful as Wonder. Other places engage in One City One Book programs where the whole community is encouraged to read the same book. Imagine the talking points!

So what if during the first quarter of the new year, every student and every teacher read the same book? This could be done in Advisory classes (30 minutes every day set aside for administrivia and silent reading). And it could be complemented with paired readings, analysis, and writing in English classes.

Of course, we are open to suggestions, and purchasing the books might be an issue (my grant app is open in another window), we think something like Sean Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teenagers would be a good pick. They don’t have organization skills; they don’t have study skills; they don’t have strong work ethic. How could these seven things NOT help our kids?

The 7 habits

1.    Be Proactive

2.    Begin with the End in Mind

3.    Put First Things First

4.    Think Win-Win

5.    Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood

6.    Synergize

7.    Sharpen the Saw

2. Expand the walls of our classrooms. Have you ever heard of a Mystery Skype? I’ve only read about it on Twitter, but this is something that needs to happen–one classroom making a connection with another classroom, sometimes on the other side of the globe. Teachers arrange it. Students prepare questions. Skype connects the classrooms. All students participate in a guessing game of “What is your Country,” or “Where are you from”? Or, something like that. Sure beats learning about Spain or Tanzania from a textbook or lecture.

Other ways to expand the classroom include field trips–real and virtual, and even walks to the nearby elementary school. My 9th graders can read with your 1st graders if we take a little time to coordinate that. The DART station is less than a mile away. We can walk a group of kids there and travel to downtown Dallas for a mere $2 per kid. Oh, the Places We’ll Go: art museum, newspaper office, JFK Memorial, Holocaust Museum, Dallas Theater Center, aquarium, and the brand new George W. Bush Library.

“Most of those things cost money,” you whine. Yes, but we have a BUSINESS COLLEGE on our high school campus. Shouldn’t the business college be about creating businesses–that, you know, make money?

I read an article that I have to hunt down. It said that the best way to raise kids out of poverty was to teach them entrepreneurship. Yes, let’s.

 3. Real-life projects. Take fundraising for example. What if students hosted a design contest for t-shirts?  Every student, and most teachers, wear some kind of t-shirt with some kind of design on it at least sometimes. We could have a contest–or several. The winner’s design gets imprinted on tees that are sold, and the money goes into the field trip fund. Or, instead of t-shirts it’s wristbands or backpacks or pencils for heaven’s sake. Kids will buy things if they are cool, and contrary to what some may think: many kids from poverty have cash in their pockets.

YouTube videos. Somehow, someway there has to teach Language Arts by connecting students’ craze for YouTube with the standards they are supposed to learn in class. I’ve started watching more, and there’s some great stuff out there that requires lots of literary allusion, knowledge, and know-how. One example that made me laugh: Paint

4. Guest speakers. The most animated I’ve seen students be about reading is when Simone Eckles, author of the Perfect Chemistry books, spoke at our school. She was warm, funny, and engaging. She talked about her books and her writing process and ideas. She showed book trailers, and had our kids cheering about reading opportunities. The librarians had won some kind of contest, and the prize was this author visit. The books are still a huge hit, especially with our reluctant Hispanic readers. We need more home runs like this. Fortunately, we have one author visit lined up thus far:  Matt de la Pena, author of We Were Here, Mexican White Boy, and others will be on campus in September. His story mirrors that of so many of our students:  poor, hates to read, loves sports. We need to bend the ear of someone and make sure there’s money to buy multiple copies of his books for many classroom libraries.

Maybe I’m an idealist. Maybe it’s the end of the year, and I’m just tired and wondering if all I’ve done with my students this year has done a bit of good. I’m not hopeful that they’ve done well on their standardized tests. The gaps in reading and writing are too wide for a fix in such a few short months.

Maybe I need to believe that next year I can do things better. I can focus less on a test and more on what tests life will hand these kids. I can give them opportunities to explore and question, and just maybe I can give them hope– because while it is #4 on that list at the top, I think it’s number 1. Without hope. . . well, there’s kind of a big fat nothing.

I get it.

Do you have ideas that might help? Please share!

Zombie Test Prep–Continued

Amy Rasmussen, Project Based Learning May 8, 2013 Leave a comment

I wish I could definitively say that I know my students performed better on STAAR because of the activities we did with this zombie project, but that would be a bit like being overconfident in surviving when 200 of the “Undead” are trying to eat my arm off. The English I Reading and Writing tests are hard–at least for my non-readers.

In response to several requests I received via Twitter. Here’s an outline of the project:

First, I did some backwards planning. What are the primary skills students need to master in order to achieve satisfactory scores on STAAR?

  • Write a literary essay with engaging characters, plot, theme, etc

  • Write an expository essay with a strong thesis, good organization, solid supporting details, etc.

  • Respond to reading–literary, expository, poetry, etc.–in paragraph form with embedded textual evidence

  • Read critically and answer questions about content, text structures, author’s purpose, etc.

No Sweat! Well, actually, a lot of sweat, tears, blood. . . Well, not blood. Not really. But I worry about my students A LOT. They come from homes in poverty with hard-working parents. By and large, they are sweet, good-hearted teens. But– they do not read, and this one thing impacts their learning in pretty much every aspect of my English class.

Thus, Z O M B I E S. I can hopefully get them interesting in the reading, which will hopefully get them interested in the learning.

I set the project up like PBL, but since I have limited training in how to actually carry out a PBL project, and my students have no experience with the requirements of this student-centered approach, which requires strong student leadership, the PBL part of the project was the first victim of our zombie attack. PBL lingered but it didn’t take an active part of the learning process. My students were too needy, and I felt rushed for time.

Introduction:  Entry Document/s

Part I. Silent Discussion. In my last post I shared the Intro to Zombie Project I used first  to spark student thinking about the project.  After students watched the video, they completed a Poster Activity (strategy idea from Bob Probst) where I gave them each a colored marker, and on each table I put a poster-size paper. I told students that they must use their marker to think on the paper. What things did you see in the video that you think you will be required to do in this project? Students wrote their thoughts in a silent discussion for about 15 minutes, and I circled the room, reading their comments and writing comments and questions to promote more thinking on their posters.

Part II. Memorandum. Next, I gave each student a copy of Zombie Apocalypse entry doc. They had to read it, and then I gave them time to talk with their table mates about their thinking. I gave each group a sheet of paper. On the paper, I had them make a T-chart. On the left they wrote what they KNOW about the project, based on their reading of the memo and the video; on the right they wrote what they NEED to KNOW. Finally, we had whole class discussion, and students helped me complete a class KNOW/ NEED to KNOW chart that stayed posted on the wall throughout the project.

[This intro worked better than I could have imaged. We did it on a day I happened to have a group observe my classroom: Student engagement high. Evidence of student thinking high. Collaboration high. Literacy in action high. Higher-level questioning high.]

Reading and Writing 

Part III. Self-Selected Reading, Throughout the year I’ve required students to read books of their choosing. If you’ve read other posts, or seen Reel Reading on Fridays, you know I talk YA books incessantly. In an attempt to get students to read something that might tie into the texts and topics we were talking about in class, I wanted to bring in as many books about zombies as possible.

I turned to my Twitter PLN first, and with their help, I build this Zombie shelf at Goodreads.com. I hit the bookstore and spent way too much money on books for my classroom library. Then asked the awesome librarians at my school to pull all the books they had that dealt with zombies. They gave me about 45 titles that I book talked with my kids. The first book to go? World War Z. I had two copies and had to start a waiting list for checkout. Personally, I read the first two books in the Rot and Ruin  series by Jonathan Maberry. Good, gory books. Too thick and intimidating for my kids though.

I didn’t care if students read a book about zombies. I just really wanted them reading something. If I do this project again though, I think I would like them all to be reading a book that ties in thematically. I have to think about this more.

Part IV. Expository Reading to Become Better Expository Writers. Expository is a big umbrella, but the state of Texas defines it as INFORMATIONAL. Our students must write an explanation of a topic, using a clear and organized structure and evidence to clarify their points and support their explanation. Essays only have to be 26 lines handwritten, or about 300 words typed. It sounds easier than it is–especially for non-readers.

Students also have to be able to answer short answer reading questions. I kind of hate that we call these short answers–they are really essay questions that require essay responses. You know, with embedded text evidence: Quote something, analyze it, make your response a complete paragraph? Again, it sounds easy, but for my students it is the most difficult thing. Ever.

I know that before I can get students to focus on the writing skill. I have to get them interested in the reading passage. I struck zombie gold when I typed “zombie” and “Valentine’s” into Google. Here’s a sampling of the articles and the questions my students answered to practice writing short answer responses.

Zombie Valentine expository article; SAQ with Zombie Valentine article

SAQ Test- What Rhymes with Undead

We also read the introduction to SAQ Zombies vs Unicorns and practiced short answers. (These folks are serious and even have a Facebook page.)

News Articles. Most of my students have no idea what is going on outside of their own communities. I try to bring news of the world to them as often, and in any way, I can. To prepare them for their expository essay on STAAR, I wanted to expose them to as many types of expository writing, and as many topics in the news that I could. So, under the guise of “You are the survivors of this zombie apocalypse  What would people 100 years from now what to know about your civilization?” I had students look up news articles, practice writing summaries, and explain.

Part V. Literary Writing. Another part of the Texas STAAR test for English I is a literary essay. Students are given a prompt, and they must write a little story that shows evidence of their understanding and ability to develop characters, conflict, plot, setting, and theme. Here’s the Literary Story- Zombie Project we used for our project. If you’d like student essay samples, let me know.

Part VI. Poetry. Finally, although students do not have to write poems for their STAAR test, they might have to read and analyze it. We had already read many poems in class, so for this project, I really wanted students to just play with word choice. Most did a zombie-like job on their poems. Plagiarism 5 times. Way below grade level work at least a 100 others. Here’s a sampling of Zombie poems. I especially like a few of the blackout poems:

the helpless

are able

to

be

a little daring

Rubric and Reflection

If I ever do this project again, I will allow for more creative time in class. Most of my students rarely do homework, so if I don’t capture the time I have them, I rarely see work once students leave the room. Most groups did not pay attention to the Zombie Project Rubric. They focused on one area much more than they focused on others. For example, I had one group that did a sensational job on the items in their survival backpack, but they did not take the time to write engaging stories or read and evaluate news articles. Therefore, their overall grade was low. A lot of this was my fault for not allowing equal time in class for each part of the project.

As our final event, the day after our second STAAR test, we watched the first episode of “The Walking Dead.” I wished that the movie “Warm Bodies” was on DVD because that would have been a great lead into our next unit:  Romeo and Juliet. It’s loosely based on Shakespeare’s play, you know? Check out this video for a fun re-mix:

Do you have any ideas for Zombie test prep? I’d love to add your resources to my growing file. Who knew zombies could be so . . . well, alive?

It’s Monday. What are You Reading? Late but not forgotten

Books, Heather Cato May 7, 2013 Leave a comment

Mon Reading Button PB to YA

Books I FINALLY finished this week:

gatsby

The Great Gatsby

A mere five days before the movie comes out, I have finally finished the book! This is now officially my third time to read the classic story and I loved it just as much this time as I did the first two times. I’m not sure if the visual images that I had playing in my head as I read were tainted by the movie previews, but I really think the glitz and glam of this era is purely mesmerizing.

Books I am going to read this week:

Texas Library Association Conventionphoto

Empty book bag in hand, a couple of weeks ago browsed the isles of the exhibit hall at the annual Texas Library Association Convention. While there I was able to snag some great books that I am so excited about reading. Of course I won’t get all of these read this week. In fact, most of them will move on to my to read pile for the summer, but none the less a new stack of books is always invigorating to a voracious reader. I think of all of these, I will probably start with Dessen’s latest. I can always count on Dessen to provide a nice story with great characters!

Stealing Second Base

Guest Post, Project Based Learning, Strategies to Add Some Zip, Technology May 1, 2013 1 Comment

Guest Post by Melanie Gonzales

navy-baseball_l

“Progress always involves risk; you can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first,” said Frederick Wilcox.  This quote spoke to me this week as I reflected on my role as Liaison, our Professional Development conversations, and the new season for the Rangers.

Taking the job as liaison was a risk. The role of the liaison is to support the work of the principal in improving instruction in every classroom, through coaching, consulting, collaborating, and co-teaching with teachers as well as to align professional learning with district and school goals. In order to take on this role, I had to leave my comfortable team, my comfort zone in teaching a grade level that I had been teaching for a long period of time, and a school that I have been at for more than a decade.  Has it been challenging? Yes! Has it been rewarding? Yes!  I was comforted at our last get together that we went over the research on change.  William Bridges’ “transitions of change” and Michael Fullan’s “implementation dip” assured me that it is normal to grieve an ending and maybe feel some discomfort as I move toward the new beginning.  It is normal to feel some disillusionment before finding rejuvenation.

I am also asking teachers to take risks.  This might involve letting go of a much-loved unit because it no longer matches the learners of today.  This might be trying new technology.  This might mean teaching in a new way.

If I want my teachers to take risks, I must model risk taking myself.  Recently, I used Nearpod in addition to a PowerPoint presentation that I had planned for my staff.  Of course I was a little nervous because I had never used it before.  I learned about Nearpod at the last “Appy Hour” hosted by GCISD digital coach, Sarra Smith.  What I loved was how the app allows participants or students to have their very own interactive presentation on their own iPad screen. It was very effective.  For my presentation, We used the app to view images, and to gain clarity about the design of our work.  We also used it to interact by taking a quiz to formatively assess how we plan and to poll the staff about the most important elements of PBL they wanted to discuss in our faculty discussion session at the end of the morning.  Yes, there were a few tense moments when loading took longer than anticipated and the transition between two of the slides did not work at first, but I feel that when the staff saw me taking risks and having my own uncomfortable moments, I became more “real” in their eyes.  I am not the “one who knows all”, or the expert, or the evaluator, but someone is who learning and taking risks right along side each of them.  I might just steal third base next.

I don’t know where the Rangers are heading this season, but it looks hopeful.  I am also optimistic about the new risks my teachers will take as I continue to create an environment where it is OK to steal second base.

What makes risk taking so difficult?  How can we support each other to take more risks?

Photo credit: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Collins / Foter.com / Public Domain Mark 1.0

It’s Monday. What Are You Reading?

Amy Rasmussen, Books, Readers Workshop April 22, 2013 Comments: 8

Mon Reading Button PB to YAToday I am reading something for me. All me.

I’m tired.

I’m tired of school and kids and teaching. I’m tired of testing (and my students’ tests has been over for a while now.)

I’m tired of reading YA novels about punk kids, drugs, gangs, and so much angst.

Get it? I’m tired.

So, this Monday? What am I reading? This inspiring book that has helped me see some things clearly for the first time in a very long time. I’ve written inside the front cover: “Stop trying to be God.”

It’s a start.

Zombies and Test Prep–Who Knew?

Amy Rasmussen, Readers Writers Workshop April 17, 2013 Leave a comment

Let me tell you about my Zombie Project.

It all started when I heard my husband and sons talking about that one episode of “The Walking Dead.”

“Oh, man, I didn’t expect that ending.”

“Sheesh, he got it out of the blue, didn’t he?”

“Merle just died. Died. And he was the tough guy.”

I didn’t have a clue what they were talking about, nor why they were so talkative. (I live with four men. It’s true: they usually use up their word allotment by lunch time.)

So, I slipped into my teacher hat and asked some book-chat type questions:  Tell me about this show that has you all riled up. Does this character remind you of anyone you know? Why do you think the show ended this way? Did the characters learn anything?

“Really, Mom?”

One thing led to another, and we were talking about how this zombie craze is a pretty good metaphor for our society.

Then, I talked to my friend Trista, and she told me she was doing this zombie project with her students.

Hmmm. I’m thinking.

Then, like a flailing limb, it hit me:  Standardized testing. Test prep. Zombies. Pretty good metaphor.

I teach English I to mostly non-readers. They are sweet kids with bright smiles and fun personalities, but they are below grade level when it comes to reading and writing. Many of them need a lot more help than I can give them. We have little time for one-on-one when my class size is 32.

Our state testing date is looming. I know I need my students engaged, and I need them thinking and reading critically, and I need them writing effectively. The Golden Question: HOW?

The creepy, undead, flesh eating answer:  ZOMBIES.

First, I made a list of the most pressing skills students needed to review, and then I became a zombie expert.

Did you know there are zombie poets and zombie poems?

Did you know there is an ongoing argument about which is more awesome zombies or unicorns? There’s even a Facebook page.

Did you know that a high school librarian, at a teacher’s request, can find 37 or so books that all have something to do with zombies?

Did you know that there are websites that “match” zombie-loving people to other zombie-loving people? and you can upload a picture and turn your image into a blood oozing zombie?

Really, now. Who knew?

So, I created this Zombie Project that included some pretty intense test prep and a whole lot of fun.

The video below is how I introduced it to my students. They watched it, and then on large poster paper at each table of four students, they did some silent thinking. I gave them each a different colored marker, and they had to write, based on the clues in the video, what they thought they’d have to do in the project.

You try it. Watch the video and see if you can come up with all the parts of the project. I’ll post more –handouts, articles, book lists, etc., as soon as I have a chance.

Mrs. Rasmussen’s Zombie Project

It’s Monday (or Tuesday). What are You Reading?

Books, Heather Cato April 16, 2013 Comments: 6

Mon Reading Button PB to YA

I’m fully aware that it isn’t Monday – The way I see it is it really is better late than never, right?

Books I read (or am still reading):

Scarlet scarlet

For those of you who have been following my posts, you know my feelings about sequels/trilogy/whatever, but I was drawn to continue reading this series because of the indirect relationship the series has with traditional fairy tales. In the first book Cinder, the author weaves the classic tale of Cinderella in a post-modern society. In the second book, Scarlet, the story of Cinder continues to unfold while at the same time a new character, Scarlet, is brought into the frame. Of course, Scarlet’s character is based of the fairytale Little Red Ridding Hood. It truly was fascinating to see how Marissa Meyer was able to intertwine both fairy tales all the while maintaining the futuristic story line. I am certainly curious to see how the series wraps up in the third book.

Books I’m reading (going to try to actually read) this week:

gatsby

The Great Gatsby

My goal this week is to get through Gatsby. The Great Gatsby is one of the very few books I have ever read more than once and the only book I ever loved being required to read in school. Clearly, I was excited when I saw that the book once again was coming to life on the silver screen. While I have no notion that the movie is going to be an exact replica of the book I am, once again, excited to see someone else’s interpretation of this book that I have enjoyed.