Reading tent

Last year, in my classroom, we had a reading day. All we did, all day, was read. Well, we did go to the library and do some yoga, but mostly, we just sat outside under the trees and read. Children love technology, but they also love books and trees.

This year, we picked today for our reading day. Unfortunately, it rained all day. Since it’s almost the end of the school year, there was no switching to another day. I wanted the kids to have a special day, so I decided to make an indoor tent. I figured if we couldn’t go outside, we would make the most of inside.

I didn’t take any pictures as I was setting it up (the kids were in gym class). I didn’t have a plan, just an idea. I tied string to the cupboards, then tied the other ends to chairs behind the bookshelves. I added some Christmas lights and some curtains and fabric (surprise, surprise, it was all pink). The whole thing was held together by many, many clothes pins. On the floor, I used old duvet covers and rugs, along with all of the pillows and cushions we have in the classroom.

When they came back to class, the kids were pretty excited. I got a lot of “Oh wow!” and “Thank you!” It was nice to see them so happy to have a special place to read.

I went in there with them to read a story, then I left them with their pillows and books. They didn’t want to come out for lunch! We went to the library in the afternoon (in the pouring rain), then they went right back in the tent until it was time to leave. I promised we could leave it up for the rest of the week.

I used to make tents with sheets and blankets all the time when I was little, and this reminded me of how much fun it is!

Divergent – Book to movie

In January, I went out for dinner for a friend’s birthday. We went to a Chinese restaurant and the first thing I saw when I walked in was the book “Divergent”. I mentioned I wanted to read it, then pretty much forgot about it as we sat down and proceeded to birthday it up. It was only later, when I was leaving, that I saw the book still on the table. I asked the owner about it, and he said it had been there for about a week. Then, he said these magic words: “You can have it, if you like.”

I read the book and saw the movie, then reviewed both. I wrote about the book as I was reading it, so it’s not really a review, but my thoughts on the story. I’m not revealing more than what you can see in the trailers for the movie, but if you really, really, don’t want to know anything about the story before you read the book or see the movie, maybe you should skip this post!

Book

Page 17

Wow, This book is going to be good, I can feel it. It’s kind of like The Hunger Games, but it’s not. There’s a girl, and she has to make a choice, but somehow I have a feeling that’s where the similarities will end. They mention the Sears tower, so the story takes place in what used to be Chicago. There are five factions. When you’re 16, you take a test to determine which faction you should chose.

Page 48

Holy crap, things move fast in this book. The girl’s name is Beatrice. I don’t know how I feel about that.  The test does not work on Beatrice. She is divergent. She choses a different faction than the one she grew up in. She’s pretty brave, I probably wouldn’t have done that, especially after her brother did what he did.

Page 60

Beatrice changed her name to Tris. I knew that name was wrong.

Page 209

I’ve been reading for most of the afternoon, but who needs a clean house anyways? Being divergent is dangerous. Of the five factions, Beatrice shows aptitude for three. There is Abnegation, which is selflessness (where she grew up), Erudite, which is the pursuit of knowledge, and Dauntless, which is bravery. She chose Dauntless. I probably would have been Amity, which seems to be hedonism. There’s also Candor, who only speak the truth (like the citar in Moulin Rouge!)

She’s going through initiation. If she fails, she’ll be factionless. There’s a lot of fighting and blood and people being mean.

Page 345

My neck hurts. Also, it’s 12am and I work tomorrow. It’s not easy kicking butt and being awesome. (We’re talking about Tris now, not me.) Why do people always pick on the smart, strong heroine? Oh, yes. Jealousy.

Page 462

I wonder, if this were real, if I would be content to be Amity, like I first thought. They’re not mentioned much in the book. As much as I want to be happy, I don’t want to be bored, either. I don’t think a system like this would work for very long, which is probably why it’s cracking in the book. Tris is Divergent, therefore she’s considered dangerous, a rebel. She threatens the system because she doesn’t fit into a mold. Sounds like high school, or society in general, don’t you think?

Page 487

What? No, it can’t be done yet! What happens next? Although I knew it would end without an ending, I thought I had a few more pages left. Argh! Store is closed, must wait until tomorrow.

Movie

I saw the movie a couple of weeks ago. I enjoyed it, and it was pretty true to the book. Obviously, there were some parts of the book that didn’t make it into the movie, but that always happens. I kept comparing it to The Hunger Games, because some of the basics of the story are the same. I liked the Hunger Games more than Divergent, but it was still a good movie.

I liked the choice of Shailene Woodley as Tris. In the book, it’s mentioned several times how small she is and how young she looks. Ashley Judd was as wonderful as ever as Tris’ mom. However, I had a bit of an issue with Tony Goldwyn as her dad. He’s the president of the United States! He’s not some Abnegation, selfless man who’s against fighting! (If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you need to watch Scandal!)

After I read the first book, I ran out and bought the other two in the series. They were ok, but nowhere near as good as the first book. I enjoyed the first half of Allegiant, the last book. There are some questions that have been brought up in the previous books that are finally answered. However, after that, I felt like the book dragged on a little. I still recommend that you read Divergent if you enjoy teen-lit series where the girl kicks butt.

 

Moloka’i

When I went to Costa Rica, I brought three books. I was gone for a week, so the original plan was to bring 4. However, apart from reading on the plane and while waiting around in airports, I didn’t read that much when I was there. It was hot, there was lots of sand, and there was too much to do!

Before I left, I took a trip with a friend to the bookstore to stock up. I ended up going on a teen-lit kick, buying  Anna dressed in Blood, Alice in Zombieland and Vampire Academy. While other people at the yoga retreat were reading books about finding inner peace, I had books about a ghost, zombies and vampires.

I did buy another book as well. When I picked it up and decided to buy it, my friend said “Really? Lepers?” What can I say, I was intrigued.

The book was Moloka’i, by Alan Brennert. I didn’t end up reading it while I was in Costa Rica. I started it yesterday and finished it this morning. Yes, it’s one of those books. You, know, the kind that draws you in, shutting out the rest of the world. It broke my heart, it made me smile and I now need to go to Hawaii.

It tells the story of Rachel, a young girl living in Honolulu in 1891. She’s 5 years old and she loves to ask questions, which drives most of the adults in her life quite crazy! One day, her uncle Pono is arrested on suspicion of being a leper. He is sent to Kalihi, a hospital, where he is kept in quarantine. Just as the family is starting to get over the shock and shame of having a relative with leprosy, Rachel’s mother finds a pink blemish on the little girl’s thigh.

Her mother tries everything she can to cure her daughter, while keeping it a secret. Hawaiians, at that time in history, were quickly dying of diseases brought over by haoles, white people. Having never been in contact with these germs, they had no immunity against them. Not much was know about leprosy, except that it was contagious.

Rachel is eventually found out, and sent to Kalihi, where she reunites with her uncle Pono. Small, afraid, and separated from her family, Rachel is poked and prodded by doctors for a year before they decide they cannot help her and she must be sent away to a leper colony on Moloka’i. She is ripped from the only life she has ever know and sent to an island where she expects to die.

When she arrives, however, she discovers a world apart from anything she has ever known. Her life is not always easy, but it is a life worth living. She watches friends die and her body being taken over by the bug. She loves, she grieves, but most importantly, she lives.

This book was so well written. It informative without being boring. I have long been fascinated by leprosy, and learning about it through the story of people’s lives was much more interesting than reading a textbook. The beginning of the story was intriguing, the middle captivating and the ending satisfying. If you’re looking for your next book to read, here it is.

Book to movie challenge

In January, somewhere in the wonder that is blogland, I found this post. It’s a book to movie challenge. Basically, you read a book, then see the movie and review both. Is there anything more fantastic than this? I think not. There are different levels to the challenge.

Movie Fan – read 3 books and watch their movies
Movie Devotee – read 6 books and watch their movies
Movie Lover – read 9 books and watch their movies
Movie Aficionado – read 12 books and watch their movies
Movie Auteur – read 24 books and watch their movies

I think I’m going to go with movie devotee, so six books. You can change levels at any time, so I can always move up.

I’m not going to stick with movies coming out this year or books I read this year. For example, I read Gone Girl last year, and the movie is coming out this year, so it will probably make the list. Also, I just read Stardust, and I want to watch the movie. Both came out several years ago, but they are new to me, so they will make the list also. I might do a few books-to-tv-shows as well.

I’ve read and reviewed Divergent, by Veronica Roth, but I’m going to wait until I see the movie so I can post both reviews together. These are several books-to-movies that I hope to review this year.

Serena, by Ron Rash

The fault in our Stars, by John Green

Dark Places, by Gillian Flynn

Orange is the new black, Piper Kerman

If you have any good books to suggest, please do! (Even if there’s no movie coming out. I’m always on the lookout for good book recommendations!)

Better you than me!

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday from the Broke and the Bookish is “Top ten characters I’d never want to trade places with”. I often imagine myself as characters in the books I read, so it’s interesting to see who I wouldn’t want to be.

1. Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games

It’s kind of obvious why. First, she lives in a world where the hunger games exist, then she has to participate. People die, people try to kill her. Sure, she’s a hero, but not because she wanted to be.

2. Lisbeth from The girl with the dragon tattoo

I didn’t like that book, and I didn’t read the others in the trilogy. Lisbeth’s been controlled and abused her whole life. She’s not happy. Maybe she becomes happy in the later books. If you’ve read them, let me know how it turns out for her.

3. Yvaine from Stardust

She’s a star, sure, that’s cool. But she falls from the sky and can’t go back. Plus, she doesn’t eat. I know all she needs is light, but as a mere mortal, I can’t imagine a life without cake.

4. Anyone from a Jodi Picoult novel

I enjoy her books, but they’re always centered around a problem. A big one. Everyone’s life is messed up, they go to court, they blame each other. No thanks.

5. Becky from Confessions of a Shopoholic

She loves to shop. I actually do to, but I get stressed out if my phone bill is late or if I owe someone 10$. I’d love to have as much nice clothes as her, but the credit card debt? Forget it.

6. Liesel in The Book Thief

It’s Germany, during World War 2. She loses her brother and her mother within hours of each other. Death is obsessed with her. Her adoptive family loves her, but her life is hard and sad.

7. Ayla from The Clan of the Cave Bears

She loses her people when she’s too young to realize it. She’s raised by people who are different, and who never fully accept her. She is cast out, has boy trouble and lives during the ice age, no it’s no picnic.

8. Beth from Little Women

If you haven’t read this book, spoiler alert. Beth is sweet and all, but she’s boring and dull. Then she dies. Yeah, not cool.

9. The women in The Dovekeepers

These are strong, independent women, which is rare for biblical times. However, such independence comes at a price. I’m impressed by them, but I would not want to be them.

10. Sookie Stackhouse from True Blood

Sure, Sookie is part fairy, she like vampire crack and they all love her. Eric is hot, Bill is handsome, and then there’s Sam, the warm-blooded shape shifter who also loves her. But people are always trying to kill her. She can read people’s minds and it drives her crazy. (I know True blood is the name of the tv show, not the books!)

Holiday Readathon

It’s no secret that I love books. I also love, love, love Christmas. There’s nothing better than putting those two things together for a holiday readthon!

I’ve seen readathons online before, but I’ve never really joined in. I think I signed up for one once, but didn’t get around to doing anything about it! This one is hosted by WhoRuBlog and it’s not too late to join in the fun. There are several challenges being being hosted by other bloggers, but I’m not sure I’ll have time to do many of them.

I’m actually pretty busy this weekend, with Christmas parties and cookies, so my goals are not crazy ambitious. It’s just fun to set an intention. This is what I hope to accomplish during this readathon.

1. Read the short story Waking Kate, by Sarah Addison Allen. This might be a little tricky since it’s a free download to an e-reader and I don’t own one. Will have to see if there’s a way to read it online.

2. Start my Chirstmas book of the year, Remembering Christmas, by Dan Walsh. I like corny, cute, Christmas stories. Hopefully it’s a good one!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to sneak some reading in before my guests arrive!

Gone Girl

When you’re a bookworm, you know what it’s like to get caught up in a story.  Have you read Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn?

I had my name on the waiting list at the library for a while, but I was 12th, so I wasn’t expecting it for weeks. Suddenly, it was available, and I only had it for a few weeks. Saturday was a rainy, cold day. It was perfect for reading.

I heard a lot about Gone Girl, but no one would really say what it was about. Everyone said the book was awesome, amazing, fantastic, and I just had to read it. But when I asked what it was about, no one would tell me anything.

Well, guess what? I can’t tell you anything about it either.

All I can say about the story is pretty much what’s on the back of the book: A woman goes missing and her husband is a suspect.

What I can tell you, is that this book seriously messed with my head. I could not stop reading it. I felt like I was being manipulated by these people. Sometimes, I got frustrated, shut the book, and put it down. I’d stare at it for a little while, then, unable to resist, pick it back up and keep reading.

I kept expecting to have one of those moments where I discovred I’d figured out a part of the story. I love those moments, they make me feel smart, like getting the answers right on Jeopardy. That moment never came. Never. The whole time, I had no idea what was going on, or who was doing what. All I knew is that somehow, they were making me think things. Think what they wanted me to. It wasn’t the author, it was the people in the book.

I think it might take a few days before I can read something else. I believe this is what’s referred to as a “book hangover”.

Now go, read it!

Read me a story

A few months ago in class, I tried to get one of my student’s attention. He was reading and he didn’t hear me. I had to repeat his name several times, and when he finally looked at me, he had a dazed look on his face. I told him “I get it, you were reading and your mind is still in the story. I love books too, so I know how it feels.” This led to a discussion with a few students about how much we all love books and reading. I don’t remember if the idea came from me or a student, but we decided to have a reading day. A whole day of nothing but books and reading, no other school work. The kids were so excited!

This was in late winter, so we decided to wait until it was nice enough to read outside. That day was last Friday. The kids worked really hard all week so they could read on Friday. I thought of making them little reading passports, where they could put stickers or stamps, but I decided against it. They were happy to read for the sake of reading, they didn’t need anything else.

We started off with a game of pass-the-book. Each kid picked a book from the ones I had set out on the tables. They sat in a circle and passed the books around while music played. When the music stopped, they had a minute to flip through it and decide if it was a book they would like to read.

Then we took a trip to the library, because no matter how much the kids thought they could sit still and read all day, I knew better. We needed some action.

When everyone had picked out their books, we went to the park to read there for a little while.

After lunch, we headed out on the lawn in front of the school with our books, beach towels, blankets and water bottles.

At one point, there were a bunch of us reading a book about the toe fairy (like the tooth fairy, but with toes). We were all crowded around the book and one kid poked my foot with his finger and asked “Who’s foot is this?”

Yes, that is a small child on my back. She’s like velcro. We were looking at a book about Vikings.

It was a perfect day. I told the kids we could do it again next year.

Sunday girl

I’ve recently become obsessed with Zooey Deschanel. Ok, maybe not obsessed, but that girl has some serious style! Not to mention talent as well. Let’s just say she influenced part of this post, which is all about dresses, books and yoga. How fabulous is that combination?

Dresses

Earlier in the week, I posted a teaser of a dress I bought. I originally saw it at Winners, but they didn’t have it in my size, so I went to another Winners. Again, no luck. It was perfect, but I was resigned to not having it. Then, I went to Marshall’s with my friend Suzanne and she said “Look at this pretty dress.” It was my dress! And in my size! It was fate I tell you, fate.

The very same day, I saw a cd at Starbucks from a duo called She and Him. It was Zooey Deschanel and a guy (I’m sorry, I don’t remember his name.). I didn’t even know she sang. When I got home, I looked it up. Not only does she sing, she writes her own songs. Plus, my new dress could totally be in her video for I could have been your girl.

I’ve been listening to the cd all week. I love it!

Back in December, I participated in Dressember, which was a challenge to wear a dress every day for the whole month. The Dressember creator decided to have a summer challenge so we could show off our pretty summer dresses. It’s only for a week this time, but I was super excited to wear my new dress in a Zooey-inspired style!

That was day one of the dress challenge. Today was day two and it was very grey and gloomy this morning, so I went with bright colours to balance it out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve already got my dress picked out for tomorrow!

Books

Today was one of my favourite book-related days of the year. The library book fair! Woohoo! (I know. I’m a nerd.) They sell old books and you pay by weight. I didn’t actually notice what the price per kilogram was, but it wasn’t very much. There were a lot of people and it was muggy in there, so I didn’t stay very long, but I was so happy I got to go!

They also sell really, really old books. Last year, I bought a 100 year old book for my sister for 50 cents. No such luck this year though.

I got some great stuff for me and for my classroom. I got eight books for the kids and it cost me 12$. You can barely get one book for that price! They’re all in really good shape too. I got four books for myself and it cost me 5$ Not quite as amazing as the 25 cent books I got last week, but still a good price for someone who buys more books than, well, than anything else really!

Yoga

Today was day two of my 30 day yoga challenge. I usually go to yoga on Sunday morning, not afternoon, but today I was busy with the books, so I went to a beginner class in the afternoon. It’s nice to take an intro class every now and then. You really get into the foundation of the poses and you don’t just flow through them. It’s not as easy as you would expect because we get used to moving to a certain rythm and when you break a pose down into pieces, it takes more focus to get into it.

It was a good thing I didn’t go to a power class because I had a headache and every time I put my head down in downward dog, it hurt more. I think it’s my fault. I didn’t drink enough water today. Oops!

After class, I got my sticker! The girls made a sticker board where all the challengers can track their progress. It might seem silly, but getting that sticker is a great motivation!

So that was my day as a Sunday girl, which is the title of one of the songs off She and Him, Volume 3. Here’s the video that inspired my look. I would have loved a crinoline and a bow, but I didn’t have either. I’ll definitely find a bow for next time I wear my dress!

Confessions of a bookworm

I am a geeky book nerd.

It’s awesome.

How do you know if you are this awesome too?

Take this simple quiz.

Sometimes I would rather read than

A) Go outside

B) Go to work

C) Do housework

D) Talk to people

E) Watch tv

F) Do any form of exercise

G) Eat

H) Do anything else

If you answered yes to more than one of these, congratulations, you are awesome! Welcome to the book nerd club.

Last week, I saw a post that had me jumping for joy. My geeky club peeps will understand. It’s a Read-a-thon! OMG! I know, right?! How exciting!

It started this morning, but much as I would love to read at work, I don’t think my students would appreciate it. (Although, we are planning a one day read-a-thon, where we’ll go to the library, then read all day. I’m so rubbing off on them.)

It’s from today until Sunday.

Here are my goals for this week of awesomeness.

1. Read at least one hour per day.

2. Finish one yoga book and start another.

3. Not watch tv (Grey’s Anatomy season finale does not count).

If I do number three, then I’ll do much more than one hour for number one, but I’m still going to go running and to yoga, so we’ll see how it goes. Mostly, I’m just excited to have a reason to read, read, read! (Not that I actually need a reason, but whatever.)

Will you be joining my fantastic reading adventure? Check out the official site here. Because, yes, this is so awesome, it’s official. I didn’t even make it up.

These are some of my maybe books for this week.

Any suggestions?