I'd Rather Be Reading!!
Well, I must admit that I am counting down the days until this semester is over!!! It's not that I haven't  enjoyed my classes, it's just that I'm ready to be finished with school.  I will graduate in December which means I will have more time to read what I want to read.  This semester I have definitely broadened my reading horizons, which is good for all of us to do occasionally.  I'm currently reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot and listening to  Allegiant Veronica Roth.  I am happy to proclaim that my listening time has increased by leaps and bounds lately.  It really does make folding laundry much more enjoyable.  I never thought those words would come out of my mouth.  I'm also excited because I have recently been able to get my oldest son hooked on listening to books.  He walked through the kitchen with his headphones on, which is rare for my non-music loving son, when I explained to my husband that he was listening to a book.  His reaction was priceless, "You have created a monster!"  This is just the type of monster I can live with.

Book Review:

Title:  I Beat the Odds: From Homelessness to The Blind Side
Author: Michael Oher

Publisher: Gotham Books 

Year: 2011

Lexile: 1130

     Most football fans know Michael Oher as the tackle for the Baltimore Ravens.  Many more Americans know him as Big Mike from the movie The Blind Side.  However, in this book, he really wants you to understand the real person behind football and the movie.  Michael Oher grew up in Memphis in a very loving family, but with a mom who was addicted to drugs.  During those bouts with her addiction, she would lock the door to their house and leave the children to fend for themselves.  Micheal describes that from a very early age he realized this was not the lifestyle that he wanted for himself.  He also realized that sports would be his way out.  Michael shares with readers what it was like growing up in the inner-city projects of Memphis.  He explains that he was bounced around from school to school so much that he was not that good of student; not because he was stupid, but he had never been taught.  

     I was amazed that he held no hard feelings for the way the Blind Side portrayed him as just being big and stupid.  He had to struggle academically, but was not stupid in the least.  He also played football for many years before living with the Tuohys.  Michael really just wants to be a role model for other young people who are in a similar situation to the one he found himself in all those years ago.  He loves all of his family, but wanted to make different life choices for himself.  This quote on page 194 tells a lot about the kind of person Michael Oher really is:

                      "A lot of people want to know what it's like to be a celebrity, and I feel bad when the

                       most honest answer I can give them is 'I don't know.' But it's the truth.  I don't feel like

                       a celebrity and I don't live like one.  I try to stay grounded, live simply, pay cash for

                       everything, and just focus on doing my job.  I try not to get into the "celebrity" mind-set

                       because then it becomes easy to think you can slack off just because you're a big name.

                       It also means that you have forgotten where you came from and the hard work and 

                       discipline that got you to this level of success.  The minute you start thinking that your 

                       reputation is enough to carry you is the moment that you start to slip."

     At the end of his book Michael lists different ways for those who would like to help to get involved.  I have provided  a link to a few of those resources he mentioned in his book.  I guess we never how a little help can go a long way in someone's life.  

YMCA

Big Brothers Big Sisters

Boys and Girls Club

Project Meet Me Halfway

Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

Where do you keep track of your books?

I actually keep track of my books in two different places.  In my classroom I have a sheet of paper where I put just the name of the book after I have finished it.  I now have the last six years hanging on my chalkboard.  This has been a great tool to open up a dialogue with my students about the books I have read.  Many of them will ask me what I think about different books or if I have any suggestions for them.  Having this list makes it very easy.  I also keep track of all my books on Goodreads.  I love this site.  I have joined a couple of the groups on there which makes it nice when I want to talk books with others.  This is a great site to check out if you haven't yet.

Happy Reading!!!

Jennifer

It's Been a Wild Week!!!

I have spent the past week getting to meet authors!! This is one of my favorite things to do.  I love meeting them, getting pictures with them, having my books signed, and hearing about how they come up with their ideas and their writing process.  I started out the week hosting an author visit at school.  Josh Bleill, author of One Step at a Time, gave an all-school presentation at the high school where I teach.  I arranged the visit so it was a little stressful, but also fun at the same time.  I was able to spend time before and after his presentation talking to him more about his experiences.  I would definitely recommend him and his book.  Many of my students really enjoyed his book and his presentation.  He even let me wear his Colts AFC championship ring.  Josh now works for the Colts organization as a motivational speaker.  Here is a link to more information about how to set up a visit with  Josh Bleill

Me and Josh Bleill

On Monday evening I headed to Indianapolis to attend the Indiana Library Federation Conference.  I presented my session on Tuesday afternoon and was able to meet with Neal Shusterman and Ashley Hope Perez.  They both have written books that have been on the Rosie list.  Neal's book Bruiser was the winner last year.  Ashley had What Can't Wait on last year's list and this year she has The Knife and the Butterfly.  I was also able to attend a session where Neal explained how he came up the ideas for some of his books and a session with Ashley where she busted some of the myths about hosting an author visit.  It is now my goal to schedule a visit with her for next year.

The theme for the conference this year was Everyday Superheroes in the Library.  So, of course I had to wear a cape when I did my presentation.  Here is a link to the annotations and reviews for the top ten books that we each presented.  Hope you find lots of good things to read!! Mission: Share YA Titles     I'm currently reading Forgive Me Leonard Peacock and listening to the third book of the Divergent series, Allegiant.  My listening time has recently gone up, mostly due to the fact that Mr. Sinus Infection kicked my tail  for a couple of weeks, and only left me with enough energy and breath to walk rather than run.  I have listened to the whole series and this is definitely one of my favorite series that I have read.  Once I finish with these books I will probably turn my attention to reading the rest of the Rosie's for this year that I have not read yet.  I always try to read all of them.

Book Review

One Step at a Time

Josh Bleill with Mark Tabb

Publisher: Triumph Books

Lexile: 820L

      One Step at a Time is the story of Josh Bleill.  As a marine serving in Iraq, Josh had a bad day.  At the end of his bad day, he had lost of his both of his legs, three inches above the knees.  He also lost two of his very close friends.  In this very inspirational memoir Josh explains how he went through many highs and lows during the healing process. Not everyday was good.  There were many times he was ready to give up on walking and participating in life activities again.  However, each time he hit a low he tried to remind himself to take one step at a time and rely heavily on his faith and family.  As a wounded veteran, one of the big things he worried about was his ability to become a productive member of society again.  The Colts organization has played a key role in making this happen.  After his rehab and return home, Josh became a motivational speaker for the Colts organization.  He tells his story to school, civic, and church organizations across the country.   

     I have heard nothing but positive comments from my students who have read his book and who attended the presentation last week.  Many reluctant readers stated that they also enjoyed the book and it has been one of the few books they have actually willingly finished.  One Step at a Time is currently on the Rosie list for this school year.  I highly recommend this book.  

Author visit: Who would you choose?

Wow!  This is a tough one!  Of course if money were not an issue I would love to host Stephanie Meyer.  Twilight was such a huge phenomenon that I think it would be awesome to ask her questions about the writing process, the books, how her life has been impacted since the movies, and what she is currently working on.  What about you?  Who would you like to have an author visit with in the future?

Happy Reading!!

Jennifer

               

I'd Rather Be Reading!!

     Today is the last day of my fall break.  I must say I'm a little bummed!  However, I have read some great books these last two weeks.  I read one last book, Diverse Energies, that was on my assigned reading list for the Eliot Rosewater committee meeting that took place on October 10, 2013.  I also read a couple of last minute books The Cutting Room Floor by Dawn Klehr and Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan,   to prepare for my upcoming presentation at the Indiana Library Federation Conference this next week.  On Tuesday I will be a part of a five person panel.  We are presenting our top ten YA titles for various genres. My partners will be presenting on contemporary realistic, fantasy/science fiction/dystopia, graphic novels, verse novels/christian literature, while I will be doing LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender). Because the organizers are expecting a large turnout for our session, they have placed us in the ballroom at the convention center.  Needless to say, I'm a LOT nervous!! Although my top ten are all fiction titles, two of nonfiction titles did make the additional titles I am including on our annotations and review pages.  Those titles are Mom Two Moms: Lessons of Love, Strength, and What Makes a Family and Oddly Normal: One Family's Struggle to Help Their Teenage So Come to Terms with His Sexuality.  When I get home from the conference I will add a comment to this post with the link so you can see our annotations and review pages.

    Currently I am still listening to The Girl of Fire and Thorns, I have about an hour and twenty-four minutes left. My goal is still to finish it tonight.  I'm not sure I will make it since the Colts and Broncos game is only three and half hours away, but I'm being an optimist.  I'm also currently reading Boy 21.  Although I'm not very far into yet, it seems pretty good so far.  

Book Review:

My Two Moms: Lessons of Love, Strength, and What Makes a Family

Author: Zach Wahls

Publisher:  Gotham Books

Date:  2012

Lexile Range:  Could not find

     Zach Wahls became an overnight YouTube sensation when he stated, " The sexual orientation of my parents has had zero effect on the content of my character," as he testified in front of the Iowa House Judiciary Committee in January of 2011.  In this memoir, Zach talks about his life being raised by his mom and her girlfriend, and later wife.  He talks about what it means to be a family and how his family is not much different from all the other families in the United States.  In each of the chapters of this book Zach talks about a characteristic that his moms tried to teach him while he was growing up.  He then provides the reader with an excellent example of how they tried to teach him the characteristic.  These included such things as kindness, trustworthiness, helpfulness,  and  being courteous.  He argues that he has grown up to be a very successful young man, and that most people would not even guess that he has been raised by a lesbian couple if they did not know this fact already.

     At the end of this book Zach candidly answers the twelve questions that people most ask him.  Not surprising, the most asked question is, "Are you gay?"  He is a strong advocate of the legalization of same-sex marriages.  At the end of the book he also states his reasons for this legalization and the rebuttal to various views against the legalization of same-sex marriage.  

What Makes Me an Expert? What Makes You an Expert?

     As I was preparing my presentation, I mentioned it to my younger sister.  With her knowledge that I am in fact a heterosexual female who has been with my husband since I was fifteen years old, she asked me, "What makes you an expert?"  This question kind of caught me off guard at the time, but also really got me thinking.  I CARE!!! This is what makes me an "expert."  I work with teens every day.  I know and understand that this is a hard time for many of them without adding in the question of their sexuality.  LGBT teens have the highest suicide rate of any group of teens.  My hope is that a little knowledge, understanding, compassion, and resources, will lead them to understand that they are not alone.  There are people out there who care about them as a person, and want to help them.  My hope is that by speaking out, others will follow suit and become advocates for our youth.  As a librarian, I can provide my teens with resources and novels where the main character, supporting character, or any character is familiar to them.  So, what makes you an expert?

HAPPY READING,

Jennifer

"I was born with a reading list that I will never finish."  -Maude Casey

I'd Rather Be Reading

     Today is the first day of my Fall Break!!! More time for reading here I come!!  I am so excited to get started on some of those books that I have had stacked on my pile for quite some time.  Please don't judge me by the piles of books in my bedroom!  I promise some day I will get to them all...maybe?  The bad thing about my reading list is that seems as though for every book I read off that list, at least two more get added. At least I will never be able to say I have nothing to read.  

     I'm currently reading The Cutting Room Floor by Dawn Klehr.  This is the story of Riley and Dez.  Riley is dealing with the fact that her girlfriend has not only just dumped her, but did so in a very public manner, which also outed her at the same time.  Her good friend Dez has a big crush on Riley and we are slowing figuring out that he may have played a role in this public break-up and outing, in an attempt to get Riley to fall for him.  I have also resumed my listening of The Girl of Fire and Thorns.  My hope is to get a lot of listening time this week as I work in the house...I have to do something to make cleaning more enjoyable!!

Book Review

Grief Girl: My True Story

by Erin Vincent

Publisher: Delacorte Press

2007

Lexile Range: 660L

     This book is exactly what any teenager who is dealing with grief or loss needs to read.  Erin Vincent lost both of her parents, in a tragic accident, when she was only fourteen years old.  In this memoir Erin takes the reader on her journey of dealing with the death of her parents and trying to pick up the pieces of her life with her older sister and much younger brother.  Erin holds nothing back when she shares the heartache and the joys of living without her parents' love and support.  From dealing with a sister whose dreams have gone to the side so that she can raise two younger siblings, to a little brother who remembers very little of his parents, Erin is forced to accept and deal with these very harsh realities.  Although I personally did not lose anyone as a teenager, I can remember this fear being my worst nightmare.  By sharing her story, Erin is able to allow others who are experiencing the same situation know that they are not alone.  This is definitely one of those books I will recommend to students for years to come.

What's on your reading list?

     October is shaping up to be a very busy month for me with my reading.  For this class, I need to narrow my list down from about five to two nonfiction titles.  I'm still trying to decide between The Bomb, Behind the Beautiful Forevers, and They Called Themselves the KKK.  Of course this is subject to change depending on what I find next time I hit the shelves.  I have only about twenty more days to go until my presentation at this years Indiana Library Federation conference.  I'm trying to read at least a couple more titles for this presentation as well.  I still have Gone, Gone, Gone, Man Up!, Ham: Slices of Life, and Two Boys Kissing on my to-read shelf.  Of course this does not even include the bag of books I picked up at the ALA Convention in Chicago this past summer, the ROSIE titles I have to have read by May, or the books I have already downloaded to my Audible account.  Yikes!  Looks like I better get off here and start reading!!!  So, what's on your list to read?

Happy Reading!!!

Jennifer

“No matter how busy you may think you are, you 

must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to

 self-chosen ignorance.” — Confucius

I'd Rather Be Reading!!

     Hello fellow Young Adult readers!  Well, it has been a busy couple of weeks around here.  Between school getting back into session for me and the kids and soccer, softball, volleyball, and running, I have not had as much reading time as I would like to have.  I do enjoy those few minutes even more when I don't get a lot of them though.  
     I'm currently reading The Final Four by Paul Volponi.  This book is a great choice for your sports-minded, reluctant readers.  The books looks at one basketball game and the lives of four of the major players in that game.  I have already suggested it to a couple of the freshmen in my Indiana Studies class this semester.  I only have about forty pages left, and am hoping the books ends how I want it to end.  Don't you love when you "talk to the author," before you are even finished with the book, about the ending?  I always have to chuckle at myself when I do this.

Book Review:

     Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different
              by Karen Blumenthal

     Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
     Date: 2012
     Biography
     YALSA: Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction Finalist
     Lexile Range: 1110






     This biography of Steve Jobs tells the story of his life in a very fun and fascinating way.  The author uses three stories that Jobs tells during his 2005 speech, as the commencement speaker, at Stanford University to illustrate various life lessons. Today's teens use the products that made Apple and Steve Jobs, but how did the company and the man get to this point?  How does he go from a college drop out to a billionaire by age twenty-three?  I don't know about any preconceived notions you may have, but when it comes to Steve Jobs, you might as well throw them out.  I was really surprised about the fact that he seldom bathed, had a bad temper, and was not easy to get along with.  I loved seeing how the Apple products and Pixar came about.  Photographs throughout the book highlight Jobs as well as his products.  Through good and bad times, Steve Jobs reveals that he may not be the most laid back person, but he is on a mission to create lasting devices to make things easier for the individual user.
      Steve Jobs has made a huge impact on how we communicate, listen to music, and even watch movies. This great read for teens or adults will show them that there is no sure route to success.  However, with hard work, determination, and a different way of thinking about things, all things are possible.
     This book offers a lot of resources for the reader right inside the book.  There is a glossary of computer related terms, a timeline of events that deal with Apple and Steve Jobs,  a complete bibliography, and notes for each chapter for those readers who want to find out more about Steve Jobs.  Pictures throughout the book show how the technology of Apple has changed as well as how Steve Jobs changed in looks.
     Availability: Steve Jobs The Man Who Thought Different is a available at:
                                 Amazon
                                 Barnes and Noble
                                 iBooks

What was your first series?
I can remember getting the Little House on Prairie box set for Christmas when I was around nine years old.  I read each of those books a couple of different times, and was always glad I did not live back then.  I loved reading how they had to make their clothes and build their cabin.  I still remember when Pa got hurt building the cabin.  I love how in a series you can learn even more about the characters and follow their lives for a longer period of time.  I was able to see Laura grow up and even experienced some of the same growing pains all those years later.  So, the book "geek" in me was so excited to give these books to my daughter last year for Christmas.  She is in fourth grade this year and is now reading all the books.  We have talked about the books in general, the characters, and about life during that time period.  I love sharing these books and my love for reading with her.

Happy Reading :)
Jennifer
     

I'd Rather Be Reading!!!

Hello fellow Young Adult readers!!!  This blog is for lovers of Young Adult literature.  My name is Jennifer Cornelius and I love to read YA!!!  Although I mostly read fiction, I have found in the last few years that I do enjoy reading narrative nonfiction and a little nonfiction.  So, let's talk books, share what we are reading, and do some book reviews.  Each posting I will share what I'm reading, do a book review, and pose a question.  Hopefully this will help us find the next great book that we will each read.

Right now I'm currently reading Grief Girl: My True Story by Erin Vincent and  listening to Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson.  I have not had much time to listen lately, so although I'm really enjoying Girl of Fire and Thorns, it is taking me quite awhile to get it finished.  

Book Review

Beyond Courage: The Untold Story of Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust  by Doreen Rappaport



Publisher: Candlewick Press
Date: September 11, 2012
Historical Nonfiction -- Juvenile
Booklist Editor's Choice
Lexile Reading: 1030L

     As a U.S. History teacher I was very excited to read this book.  Many students are under the false impression that all Jewish people, "went like lambs to slaughter."  Beyond Courage is broken down into five different parts: The Realization, Saving The Future, In the Ghettos, In the Camps, and Partisan Warfare.  This nonfiction resource provides the reader with various examples of how the Jewish people resisted the genocide that was attempted by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party during the World War II time period.  From continuing to practice their religion after it was banned to actively fighting back and killing their oppressors, many Jewish people resisted in one way or another.  The resistance that most touched my heart was the number of Jewish parents who gave up their children to try and save their lives.  Those children who could pass as Christian were given false documents, a new name, and a new family.  Other children were hidden in safer areas.  As a parent of three children, I know this would be a horrifying, yet very brave decision to make.
     In order to ensure that young people get a more clear understanding there is a timeline of important events, an index, a pronunciation guide, source notes, and maps and pictures throughout the text.  This would make a great addition to any Holocaust or World War II collection.  It looks at the resistance of the Jewish people from a variety of countries during World War II.  It is important that students get a more clear understanding that the Jewish people in many countries were impacted by Hitler and the Nazi Party.  This topic is studied in various classes at the high school level, including tenth grade English, U.S. History, and World History.  Therefore, many classes and students would benefit from this resource.
     Beyond Courage is one of the potential books for the Eliot Rosewater High School Book Award List for the 2014-2015 school year.  Although I probably would not have read this book if it had not been on my assigned list, I am very glad that I read it.  I also plan on advocating for this to make the list.  This is the first time that I have felt passionate about an explanatory nonfiction book, which I'm still very surprised about!!
     Availability: Beyond Courage is available from Amazon.  
                                                                           Barnes and Noble
                                                                            Audible  (requires a membership)

Where is Your Favorite Place to Read?

     I love to sit on my front porch and read.  It's always best to head out there in the morning or later in the evening during the hot summer months.  In the spring and fall I will head out there as long as I can sit comfortably in a sweatshirt.  I remember one year I had the flu bug for a few days and actually spent the last two days I was at home recovering lying on my swing with a blanket and pillow.  I had been cooped up in the house for too long at that point, and just wanted to be outside.  

Happy Reading :)

Jennifer