Sunday, April 5, 2015

Monday Reading - Poetry, too!

Monday Reading, Poetry too!
created by Leigh Anne Eck
at A Day In The Life 

         Many Poetry Friday bloggers are beginning challenges for the month, and others offer invitations to write along with them. I may join them sometimes during the month, but my goal is to work hard to write haiku and haiku-related poetry this month. See my latest below. 
           I'm also happy that some of us also are supporting each other, sharing on twitter with the hashtag #DigiPoetry, created by Margaret Simon, of Reflections on The Teche.You're welcome to join us. Find the many Poetry Month offerings rounded up by Jama Rattigan at Jama's Alphabet Soup. If you want to see some lovely poetry, go to Jama's post to see everyone's plans.


5)
April’s word party -
celebrate the poems
on lined pages
Linda Baie © All Rights Reserved


         After celebrating, then link up with Jen at TeachMentorTexts and Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders. and Sheila at Book Journeys.  Come visit, and tweet at #IMWAYR. Thanks to Jen, Kellee, and Ricki for hosting!




The Martian - written by Andy Weir
            My friend talked me into this one, then I discovered that many of the boys in my classroom had already discovered and read it, some of them twice! It’s taken me about three weeks to read, and I was doing much other reading during that time, blogs and assignments, etc. Is it great? Not to me, but I was compelled to keep reading, to try to understand the copious amounts of science (all kinds) included in it. I think that’s why the boys loved it so, and that it’s the ultimate survivor story. You’ve got to love a character that figures out how to live on Mars for about a year and a half, and mostly on potatoes and ingenuity using what equipment was left behind. This reminds me of MacGyver that old TV series when the character could seem to do anything with what’s at hand. Well, so does Mark Watney, the main character, the one left on Mars. Along with the help, sometimes, of some characters at NASA, and those on the ship that left him for dead, Watney does some amazing things. You’ll have to read the book to see how it all ends!

The Bus Ride - written and illustrated by Marianne DuBuc

                It seems easy to read this book, then one must start again, and then again. Too many interesting things are happening on this special bus ride when young Clara is traveling, for the first time alone, to see her grandmother. Hmm-who is sleeping most of the time? Where did those cookies go? And what’s with the fox? Is Clara in danger? In the wider world, is this book a metaphor for society and stereotypes? Terrific book, beautifully illustrated.

Walk On The Wild Side - written and illustrated by Nicholas Oldland
            I’ve discovered this is a part of the “Life in the Wild” series with the three characters, a bear, a moose and a beaver. This time, the three want some more adventure and decide to climb a mountain. Mishaps occur because the beaver has turned the walk into a race. Luckily beaver also saves the day when scary things occur. Then all three realize that taking time to enjoy the walk has an added bonus, they don’t have to race, but can enjoy just walking and being together.  It’s a clever short tale, with simple and enjoyable illustrations. Isn't that just the cutest cover!

Home - written and illustrated by Carson Ellis

             I love books about home, have a beautiful poetry book titled Home also, but it’s filled with nostalgia for adults. This book is for children, home after home is shared, presented in full lovely color, alive with animals and people, both imaginary and real. There are real homes, frame ones in the country, three masted ships, wigwams and palaces. Then there are shoes, yes, SHOES! And this gave me the chance to teach the nursery rhyme “Old Mother Hubbard” as I was reading. There are RVs and houses in Atlantis, and real people from countries all over the world, like a blacksmith from Kenya. It’s a wonder of a book that can be examined over and over.

NEXT: I'm reading Cormac McCarthy's The Road in a book group, and 'finally' one of my "MustReadIn2015" list, The Year I Discovered Poetry by Marilyn Nelson. It'll be a good week! Happy Reading everyone!

18 comments:

  1. You're right about reading The Bus Ride over and over again. There is so much going on in the illustrations! I haven't heard of The Martian, but it sounds intriguing, and Home looks like a beautiful book. Thanks for sharing, Linda!

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    1. You're welcome, Catherine. Happy that you enjoyed The Bus Ride, too-very fun!

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  2. I loved Home, so much so I had to purchase it!
    I did not love The Bus Ride. I thought it was good, but after The Lion and The Bird, I wanted more. I did read it on the computer through NetGalley, so maybe that has something to do with it too. May have to give it another try with the real copy in my hands!
    Happy Monday!

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  3. I love "April's word party"! That is indeed worth celebrating! HOME looks like a fun book to explore. I love how they combine real homes from around the world with imaginary homes.

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  4. I recently got The Bus Ride from the library but haven't read it yet. Your review makes me want to go pick it up right this very minute. :)

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  5. The Martian looks like one my space adventure readers would love. Maybe this summer-- the length is a bit daunting!

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  6. I loved The Year I Discovered Poetry; even more than Brown Girl Dreaming! Hope you do too. I've got Home and The Martian on my to read list, but I want to read the latter before purchasing it - or maybe purchase it in paperback. I just love the Nicholas Oldland series and can't wait to get to this one.

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  7. It IS a word party! *Cheers!* to you and haiku this month!
    I cannot wait to get my hands on THE BUS RIDE and HOME. Thank you, Linda! You always have the best recommendations. xo, a.

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  8. Home looks lovely, I think I need to head up to the Children's Department and get a copy for myself! ~Megan
    http://wp.me/pzUn5-2ir

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  9. I loved The Year I Discovered Poetry, such a good book for this poetry month. April's word party, a wonderful description of this yearly celebration. I'm requesting your picture books from the library. I'm finishing Aleutian Sparrow by Karen Hesse, a novel-in-verse, that I checked out of the school library in February. Shh! it's definitely overdue.

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  10. Your "word party" has sparked so much thinking and wanting in me! I love how you made yourself read The Martian. It's a tribute to your students' taste. I think science fiction is something many of us grow out of, and many don't. I want The Year I Discovered Poetry and Home now. Going on line shopping....

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  11. Hi Everyone, it's great that you'll be looking for these wonderful books! Thank you! I just got home & will try to visit everyone to see what you have to share. It was such a busy day back, a little beginning for the week, then we took a day trip downtown. Great day, but I think everyone is pretty tired, me too!

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  12. Bus Ride looks beautiful! It looks like it would be a great match with Market Street.
    The Martian has a fabulous cover and is such an interesting concept. I will have to get it for my classroom.

    Happy reading this week! :)

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  13. I have read and loved The Bus Ride and Home recently too. Both lovely!

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  14. My husband loved The Martian. I recommend it to many of my college boys who were my students years ago. When they email me for recommendations, it is a bit tricky for me to navigate what they might like as 20-somethings. I was glad to read your honest review. It is likely similar to what I would think about it, I believe. :)

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  15. Marianne Dubuc is simply a gem isn't she? I can not wait to find her latest picturebook, but I have definitely fallen in love with The Lion and The Bird. Home sounds like another book that I would enjoy reading. Looks really gorgeous. :)

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  16. The Martian is on my list to read this year as part of my self-designed "Best of 2014" reading challenge. It showed up on dozens of "best of" annual lists last year. It doesn't entirely sound like the right book for me, though, so I might try it on audio, which I've heard is quite well done (though I don't see how that makes all the science more understandable!). I must get the Marianne Dubac book! NOW. LOL. This is why resolutions not to purchase any more books invariably fail quickly for me! I loved Home, though I worried about the stereotypical nature of a couple of the illustrations--the Native Americans and the blacksmith from Kenya, for instance. Both made me uncomfortable, though I'm struggling to put my finger on why. Perhaps just because they look more like stereotypes, and there's nothing stereotypical about the other illustrations.

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