A to Z April: U Reviews - Uglies by Scott Westerfeld/Up the Down Staircase by Bel Kaufman

My two book choices today couldn't be farther apart in what type of story they are. The first is a YA Science Fiction/Dystopian story, a series that I LOVE!  The second is a classic realistic fiction story about an inner city school and what a teacher who works there deals with while trying to do her best to educate according to her ideals.

First is Uglies by Scott Westerfeld.  I love, love, love this series.  The first book was what sounded like an idea world.  You go through your adolescence dealing with all the things everyone does now, awkwardness, acne, growing into your features, etc.  But then at a certain age everyone has surgery and becomes what is called a Pretty, which is the second book in the series.  It's kind of the way kids feel about when they finally become an adult, how all those problems are supposed to magically disappear, like having surgery.  Of course there is more to the story than just a surgery to fix your looks, as you'll find as you read it!  Here's the blurb from Goodreads:
Everybody gets to be supermodel gorgeous. What could be wrong with that?

Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license - for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.

But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all.

The choice Tally makes changes her world forever...

I also got to meet the author a year or so ago, here I am with him:

My second book is a classic called Up the Down Staircase.  I don't remember how I got ahold of this one, but it was an eye opener for me as someone who wanted to be a teacher.  I grew up going to a private school until 8th grade, then I went to a suburban school for high school.  So the way the students were in this book were not at all like I was used to as a student myself.  Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
Bel Kaufman's Up the Down Staircase is one of the best-loved novels of our time. It has been translated into sixteen languages, made into a prize-winning motion picture, and staged as a play at high schools all over the United States; its very title has become part of the American idiom.

Never before has a novel so compellingly laid bare the inner workings of a metropolitan high school. Up the Down Staircase is the funny and touching story of a committed, idealistic teacher whose dash with school bureaucracy is a timeless lesson for students, teachers, parents--anyone concerned about public education. Bel Kaufman lets her characters speak for themselves through memos, letters, directives from the principal, comments by students, notes between teachers, and papers from desk drawers and wastebaskets, evoking a vivid picture of teachers fighting the good fight against all that stands in the way of good teaching.

So, have you read either of these books?  If not, do you think you might want to now?   And while you're here, don't forget to enter my contest below!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

2013 Truman Possibility 13: The Death Catchers by Jennifer Anne Kogler

Oh my gosh, I don't know if I can say just how much I loved this book!  The story was really good, but besides that, with it being my first year teaching 7th grade English, specifically about plots and narrative writing, I loved the titles of the chapters, and how the protagonist or main character explained what they meant and how she was doing that with that part of the story.  I could totally see using this with my class some year when I'm teaching this in the future.
This isn't the first book by this author that I've read.  I read The Otherworldlies a few years ago for The Truman list as well.  I wasn't as excited about that one.  It seemed a bit too familiar and like other books that were popular at the time.  Not that it wasn't good, as the first line in my review on that (which you can read if you click on the title) says basically this same thing.  It just didn't grab me like The Death Catchers did.
Okay, so, as I said, this story is being told by our protagonist, Lizzy Mortimer, which means it is first person point of view, as she points out in the chapter titled "Point of View".  Lizzy has to do something to make up for not turning in her project for English class with Mrs. Tweedy.  And so she writes this "letter", albeit a very long letter, to explain why she didn't get the project done, and to hopefully make up for the project.  In the story we learn how she finds out she is a Hand of Fate, just like her grandmother Bizzy.  Only they feel that name is too old fashioned, so they change it to Death Catcher.  The first specter, or notice that someone is going to die that Lizzy gets is for her very best friend Jodi.  Needless to say all Lizzy wants to do is save her. But Bizzy explains that she can't tell Jodi, she can only do her best to keep it from happening.  They are able to save Jodi, but in doing so, Lizzy sees her first Banshee.  A little creepier than they are in the Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent.  :-)  And soon Lizzy gets her next specter.  It's the cute guy at school.  And not only that, through research, Lizzy find out that Drake is a little more important than just someone to save.  Saving him will keep Doomsday from happening.
There is mythology in this story, it is from the story of King Arthur.  And while it is a bit interesting to have it happening in California, seeing as how that legend is really from England I think? That does make a bit of a stretch in a way.  But not in a bad way.  It didn't keep me from enjoying the story.
Another thing I totally loved was Lizzy's mother.  She sounds just like the type of librarian I want to be.  According to Lizzy, her whole goal in life was to find the Right Book for that person.  I feel the same.  When I see kids who don't like to read, or who say that, I always tell them they just haven't found the right book.  And I want so bad to make it my mission to find that for them.  And I try, in between teaching, and when I'm working at the bookstore I enjoy finding books for people there too.
Again I have to comment on just how much I loved getting to each new chapter to see what writing tidbit would be the title of that chapter, and how she would explain it as part of the story.  Such an awesome, awesome, awesome book!  I even told one of my students about it, and the chapter titles, and they thought that was such a cool idea!  I will definitely be buying this to keep in my classroom library whether it makes the final Truman list for next year or not.
If you enjoy re-tellings, this is an interesting one for the whole Arthurian legend.  If you are an educator of any sort, classroom teacher or librarian, I can't imagine you not enjoying the fun way this was set up.  The characters are very quirky and likable.  I truly, truly LOVE this book!

Feature and Follow Friday 10/5/12

Feature and Follow Friday is a weekly event hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read where you get to learn about two featured bloggers each week, and then can gain new followers as well by joining in to the fun. This week's question is:

Q: What do you hope to accomplish with your blog? Is it to one day become an author yourself, just for fun, maybe get some online attention, or maybe something very different?

I actually began blogging because I love to talk about the books I'm reading, and what a great way to share, but online!  So many people out there!  Also, I'd been working on another degree, an Education Specialist degree in Library Science, and we'd been learning more about blogging and the like.  I love talking to my students about books, and seeing kids get so excited about books that they have to come talk to me about them.  It's probably the main reason I want so badly to be a school librarian.  As I've not been successful in any attempts to get a library job around where I currently live, without having to take a huge pay cut, I went ahead and got certified to teach Communication Arts class, where I do get the chance to at least talk with those students about books.  If there is anything I hope to accomplish, well, maybe to help me get a library job.  Or something completely out there, maybe to get a job in the publishing industry?  Those are not really my "goals".  Well, except for a library job.  

So, if you are a blogger, what are your reasons?

Featured Blog: It's the Little Things

My next featured blogger as part  of my 3rd Blogoversary Celebration isn't a book blog, but it is such a neat, inspiring blog, and a good friend of mine, so I really wanted to share it.  My friend Amanda did such an awesome job with the little write up I asked her for, I almost don't really want to spoil it with too much of my own stuff.  So without further ado, I'll let her take over my blog now.

Happy blog anniversary Lisa! What a special time for you and your readers. Thank you for having me here today to chat about a fantastic book I read over the summer called Bloom by Kelle Hampton. But before I delve into why I love this book so much, I want to give your readers a little background about our relationship and who I am.

My name is Amanda, and I am the writer behind our family's blog, It's the Little Things, about this fantastic little thing called life! Our tiny corner of the internet is your glimpse into ourendless giggles, yummy meals, park excursions, bebe letters, colorful crafts, and heaps of love, with bits and pieces of what inspires us along the way. Something parenthood has taught us so far, is that the little things in life aren't so little after all; they are, in fact, quite big and beautifully important. We invite you to our neck of the woods to enjoy a peek at some of the treasured moments in our lives as a itty-bitty family of four.

How do I know Lisa? Well, we are both middle school teachers at the same school, and up until this year, have taught the same grade right across the hall from each other. Those crazy 8^th graders provided us with some unforgettable moments and have bonded us into becoming friends. I admire her love for reading and am happy for her new adventure as a communication arts teacher!

So let’s talk about Bloom. I have been into memoirs of late, so Kelle’s book about her family’s unexpected journey intrigued me from the start. At the moment of giving birth to her second daughter Nella, Kelle learns that she has Down syndrome. From that point on, her gripping and expressive memoir goes on a wild roller coaster ride of emotions that ultimately reveals how this distraught mother overcame her grief and watched life blossom, or bloom, right before her eyes as she uncovered it’s beauty. This memoir is about growth in a time of pain, and how honesty and optimism can help someone make the most of any difficult situation.

From the first few sentences I was glued to Kelle’s journey and I now hold her and her loved ones in a special place in my heart. As a new mama myself, I could really connect to this story on many levels. What has really stuck with me is Kelle’s positive outlook on life, and I know it is one that I will refer to when I am faced with something unexpected or difficult. I highly recommend this book to all parents, teachers, and anyone that is in the process of overcoming ahardship in their life. 

This book sounds really good Amanda!  I'm not sure about reading it, as with recent issues with my brother and sister-in-law and my first niece, don't know if I'm ready to read about this story.  But some day I would like to read it, and so it is on my TBR list.  I have loved working so closely with Amanda, and am a little sad to not be working across the hall from her this year.  But I'm sure I'll still see her at school, especially when all the communication arts teachers in the building meet!  And I'll keep up with her adorable daughter through Facebook, and of course her awesome blog!  

Deadly by Julie Chibbaro

I first heard about this book in the Shelf Awareness email newsletter about a giveaway of a signed copy by the author. So I emailed and entered. I hadn't heard any news of when they were drawing a winner, and I had to turn my Nook back into the store on Saturday, so when I saw the book was already on the shelves at my store, I checked it out. I really, really enjoyed this book. I actually even intend to recommend it to our Missouri Association of School Librarian's readers awards committees.

This book is about Typhoid Mary. Yes, it is told in story format, but in a really good way. The main character is Prudence. She is Mrs. Browning's school for girls to learn the skills that will hopefully win her a better life some day. But Prudence isi more interested in science, something her mother and father both encouraged her in when she was younger. And she really became interested when her brother was in an accident and his injuries got sores and he died. They allow the girls to take afternoon jobs. Prudence finds a job working with the Sanitation department trying to solve the recent typhoid outbreak.

Their research leads them to a common woman in all the cases, who after they test her and find she has the virus, but has never been sick, the papers soon dub her Typhoid Mary.

As a science teacher, I could totally see this being a book that you could base a whole integrated unit on, I see the science, social studies, and CA parts, and I'm sure there are many ways to bring math in as well. You've got all the history of the time as we learn about how things were for people back then, how women were just starting to be accepted as doctors, the wars of the time, etc. The science with disease and the human body is all stuff I studied this year with my students. Obviously the book could be read in CA, and math could maybe do the figuring of how the disease spread, etc. I wish we still had time to do these things in school, I'd totally recommend it. Instead, we are now into mastery learning and common assessments, instead of making kids understand that all the things they learn relate in some way and all are important and can be fun. Okay, off my education soapbox.

This was a great book! I will probably also make it one of my staff recommendations at the bookstore.

Welcome 2011!

I see everyone else seems to be doing a New Year's resolution/goals blog, so I'll do one as well. I usually only do either book reviews or waiting on Wednesday blogs, but this will be out of the ordinary. First, I want to set some goals for the blog itself. I hope to make it more known by not only posting my updates on Facebook for my friends, but also posting them to Twitter. I also signed up to a challenge for next year: The 2011 Debut Author Challenge.

Next, I couldn't decide if I should list how many books I read only by what I actually blogged about, which is: 104. According to my notebook where I write every book that I read, even re-reads, the number is only 2 or 3 more, and actually 2 of those are ones I started, am still picking up and reading at times, but haven't finished. Weird. I must have counted wrong somewhere. So I think I will set my goal for how many books to read this year to 110. That's only 5 or 6 more than this year, so a reasonable goal. However, since I have a feeling I won't be signing up to read for any of the book awards through the state this year, it might be hard to get that many books in. Or not. We'll see.

I plan to blog in just one entry about series if I am able to read them right in a row, like I did with the Mortal Instruments series, or I am getting ready to do with the Carrie Ryan zombie series right now.

I also intend to take a creative writing class this summer, and get back to work on my chick lit novel I started a few years ago during NaNoWriMo. I'd love to get it finished this year. Since there's a good chance there won't be any need for summer school librarians this year with the state budget, I may have to set up a schedule for myself for writing.

One last reading goal, this year, if a book is just too hard for me to get into, and I don't have to read it for any reason, I will not make myself finish it. I will put it away in a pile and get rid of it. I will not waste any more time on books that I do not enjoy.

Other personal, non-reading goals include getting that final 5 pounds off so I can reach goal and hopefully become a WW lifetime member by the end of 2011. I need to make sure I get out and walk at the gym during the cold months at least twice a week, and then once the weather gets nice, I need to get back to 20 miles a week as soon as I can. With my new online teaching job, I hope to soon be able to start getting some credit cards paid off and get my life in a more financially stable place.

So, those are my main goals/resolutions. I'd add that I want to get a library job this year, but I think that's a pie in the sky dream for me at this point. Not to say I won't still apply and interview whenever possible, but I won't make something a goal that is so far out of my control anymore. I've always liked double numbers, like 11, probably because my birthday is October 22. So I'm hoping my love of double numbers will mean that 2011 is going to be a good year for me.

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

Believe it or not, I'm really not much of a fantasy reader. Yes, I love Harry Potter, but I tend to stick more to real science fiction, and maybe vampire/monster which are really more horror than fantasy. However, I got this book free from the bookstore. We had an Educator's event and had several copies of this book with a teacher's guide in the back. Our CRM told me I should take a copy since they were free since I am a teacher. So I did, and I read it at school during my lunch breaks. It actually was pretty good.

Basically the main characters are Kendra and her younger brother Seth. One of their grandparents dies and leaves money for all the children to go on a cruise. So Kendra and Seth are sent to their other side's grandparents to stay while they are on the cruise. At first it seems like a really beautiful estate with lots of pretty butterflies and lots of weird rules and people. Their grandmother is supposedly off visiting other family so they are left with their grandfather. Soon it turns out that Fablehaven is not what it seems. There is an old witch tied up in the forest where they are not supposed to go. There's a beautiful pool hidden away also in an area they're not supposed to go. Also, turns out those butterflies are fairies. And you can see them when you drink a special type of milk. Of course Seth just can't seem to follow rules, and this soon lets evil things appear on this special sanctuary for the supernatural.

Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCaig

I can pinpoint the teachers who led me to some of my quirky favorites in movies. First, my grandpa. No, he wasn't ever a "teacher" per se, but I do feel that he taught me in many different ways, and shaped a lot of who I am. He was an engineer, and I know it is from him that I developed my interest in astronomy, and probably other science. But whever we visited my Grandpa and Grandma Moritz's house, there was a big yellow book called Why a Duck with a cartoon picture of Groucho Marx's head. It is from my Grandpa that I got my love of all things Marx Brothers. I can even remember him laughing at certain parts of the movies when we'd watch them at his house when we went into the air conditioning during the annual family garage sales.

Second is my 8th grade science teacher/principal. I went to a private school, and so the principal was also a teacher, Mr. Riedl. In fact, he was a science teacher, my current occupation. But I remember watching Court Jester, with Danny Kaye one day at school when I was in 7th or 8th grade. Again, I can remember him laughing loudly at the "Flaggon with the Dragon" part of the movie. From this I became a Danny Kaye fan.

Third was my freshman year, my Citizenship class teacher, Mr. Jarvis. In class he showed us the movie The Gods Must Be Crazy. I remember watching the beginning and thinking, wow, another boring school movie, but still being glad we were watching a movie instead of doing work. But if you've seen this movie, you know it is not a boring movie at all. It is a hilarious look at modern day technology, a coke bottle, and how it can corrupt very simple cultures in ways we can't even imagine.

And the last teacher, leads into this book, my junior year American History teacher, Coach Durham. He showed us Gone With the Wind. I fell in love with it. I wanted to be Scarlett and have all the beaus after me. In a way, I have always felt like Scarlett, in that I never quite wanted what was right for me, and often didn't realize the good thing until it was gone. Of course, the reader that I am had to go out and read the book. And then in the early 90's a sequel called Scarlett was published. And I loved that too, even though the critics weren't huge fans. It made me cry, and I felt so much for Scarlett and all the bad choices she made, again, relating to her in that way at least.

When Rhett Butler's People came out in 2007, I ordered it from the book club I belonged to at the time. It has sat in my bookshelf of books to be read since that time. I couldn't quite bring myself to pick it up. Not sure why, just couldn't. But now, once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. I fell right back in love the with the story. And I loved all the way we got to see into everyone's thoughts in this story. I worried as it started that it would only go up to the time when Rhett got married to Scarlett. Needless to say it followed right on through the end of Gone With the Wind and past. Totally didn't go with Scarlett, and while yes, I do love that story, I do like how this one ended a bit better. I cried, I smiled, I just loved this book. I can't gush enough about how much I liked it. Again, not sure the critics were big fans of this one either, but I loved it. I think I need to get the movie out again and watch it. I loved seeing Rhett's side of the story and his family, and Melanie Wilkes's side, etc.

Ready for fall tv to start

While I'm glad there isn't much tv going on, because I don't seem to have much time to watch it, I'm also ready for all my shows to be back. I got five miles in today. Worried if I would because the clouds just looked really scary all night, but we didn't get anything. Then I went to visit my step-mom in the hospital. She had a routine surgery, doing fine, but she's going to need help when she goes home because my dad has to go out of town for a few days right after. So I'm going to have to find some time to go visit her. Of course, in another week, my mom is having back surgery, so I'll be visiting her in the hospital too. I think I've set a goal to NEVER have surgery. I'm guessing at this point I'll probably never have kids, so I think I hope to not ever have surgery either. Although, my hip/back/sacroiliac joint keeps bothering me, who knows what we'll have to do about this. Plus, my shingles are acting up again. Probably the stress of the pain as well as being back to school. Today went the same as yesterday. Good morning, not so good afternoon. If only winning Powerball tonight could really happen. I'd be done teaching the end of this week. If they were nice, I might give them a couple weeks to find someone. If I won, these are the things I was thinking I'd do for other people: I'd give my friend Jo and her husband the money for a downpayment on a house, I'd give all 4 of my parents, my two sisters, and my brother 2 million each, I'd donate half a million to the cancer charity David Cook helps as well as the same amount to lung cancer research, I'd help lots of people. I'd also buy/build a house that I wanted. I want a ranch with a basement and a library with built in shelves. I want a flat yard so I could mow myself, and be able to fence the yard. In a nice neighborhood with sidewalks or walking paths.

Okay, I'll probably write more tomorrow, maybe, I've got a party to go to in Excelsior Springs, and I should try to go visit my step-mom, so I may not get to walk tomorrow. Which means I'll only have walked 10 miles this week. Oh well. I'll do better next week.

First REAL day of school

The morning started out pretty good. I actually felt after the first 2 classes that I could maybe do this for another year. Then, my 5th hour started. A class of 20 boys and 9 girls. That should tell you right there what the issue was. Boys with constant, stupid questions, just to be smart-alecs. God, all I can hope is that I win the Powerball tomorrow. Last hour of the day wasn't as bad, but with the crazy way we scheduled to spend extra time instead of going to Advisory was just a pain. Plus, I wonder when in the world will the buses get there on time. I'm so tired of waiting sometimes 10 minutes past when class is supposed to be over. Just add in the minutes to our classes and don't make us wait with nothing to do for that long at the end of the day. These are the things that reminded me why I do not want to be teaching anymore.

Wanted to play Sims 3, was really enjoying it, then my stupid Sim got stuck. I hope the hint on how to fix it will work next time I play. It's so addicting though, I was supposed to be watching my tv and not playing on the computer, and there I was.

I walked 5 miles tonight. Decided that was enough. It felt good though, I was worried it might be hard to get going, but no, that first mile was over before I even knew it!! Tomorrow night I'll get out and walk before I go visit my step-mom at the hospital. She's having a hysterectomy tomorrow, so she'll be in the hospital for a few days.

I got an email from MASL today, (Missouri Association of School Librarians), about the Truman selectors for next year's list. They were asking for student readers, but I emailed and asked if they needed any teachers to do it, and they told me to go ahead. So I'm excited so I can read another list. It's a lot of books, but it's so great to do. Makes me feel a part of the library world even if no one will hire me to do that.