Book Review: The Heir by Kiera Cass

The Heir by Kiera Cass

Book #4 in the Selection series is officially out!  For those looking to continue Prince Maxom and America's love story, be prepared.  The Heir takes place eighteen years in the future and focuses on their daughter, Eadlyn, who is in training to become the next queen.  I was a bit confused in the beginning, but once I realized the new storyline, it read just like all of the other books in the Selection series - fast and just like the "Bachelorette."  

Summary by Goodreads:

Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon—and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn has always found their fairy-tale story romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her, she'd put off marriage for as long as possible.

But a princess's life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can't escape her very own Selection—no matter how fervently she protests.

Eadlyn doesn't expect her story to end in romance. But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn's heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in front of her . . . and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn't as impossible as she's always thought.

My Thoughts:

Kiera Cass has a knack for writing these "Bachelor/Bachelorette" type stories that the high school girls love.  The Heir is no different.  I read through this quickly.  Don't expect this one to leave you with any closure - just like the others, Cass leaves you hanging.  Book #5 can't come soon enough.  

Book Review: October Mourning - A Song or Matthew Shepard by Leslea Newman

October Mourning - A Song or Matthew Shepard by Leslea Newman

Want a book that even your dormant or non-readers will not put down?  Have them read October Mourning.  This has been on my to-read list all semester. I finally was able to borrow the book from one of our teacher's classroom libraries on Friday and only because tomorrow is the last day of the school year so students reluctantly are turning their books back in to him.  

Summary by Goodreads

WINNER OF A 2013 STONEWALL HONOR!

A masterful poetic exploration of the impact of Matthew Shepard’s murder on the world.

On the night of October 6, 1998, a gay twenty-one-year-old college student named Matthew Shepard was lured from a Wyoming bar by two young men, savagely beaten, tied to a remote fence, and left to die. Gay Awareness Week was beginning at the University of Wyoming, and the keynote speaker was Lesléa Newman, discussing her book Heather Has Two Mommies. Shaken, the author addressed the large audience that gathered, but she remained haunted by Matthew’s murder. October Mourning, a novel in verse, is her deeply felt response to the events of that tragic day. Using her poetic imagination, the author creates fictitious monologues from various points of view, including the fence Matthew was tied to, the stars that watched over him, the deer that kept him company, and Matthew himself. More than a decade later, this stunning cycle of sixty-eight poems serves as an illumination for readers too young to remember, and as a powerful, enduring tribute to Matthew Shepard’s life.

My Thoughts

Why does this book get checked out so much from our high school classroom libraries? Simply because it is short, in poetic verse, and so powerful.  The way in which Leslea Newman puts Matthew Shepard's murder into verse will grab readers of all sorts.  As a teacher I want my students to understand how their actions can have serious consequences.  I want them to be cognizant of each other's feelings and beliefs and above all to respect one another.  The messages in this story are so important and need to be heard.  When I ask students why they ALL have given it five stars, they tell me, "Just read it, Mrs. Sethna.  You will understand."  And I agree.  So if anything, take the kids advice this summer:  just read it.  And then, get a copy and put it in your students hands.

Book Review: Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

This book recommendation goes out to all those children and young adults who are looking for their forever home - one full of love and hope for a better future.

Summary by Goodreads

The author of Bird in Hand and The Way Life Should Be delivers her most ambitious and powerful novel to date: a captivating story of two very different women who build an unexpected friendship: a 91-year-old woman with a hidden past as an orphan-train rider and the teenage girl whose own troubled adolescence leads her to seek answers to questions no one has ever thought to ask.

Nearly eighteen, Molly Ayer knows she has one last chance. Just months from "aging out" of the child welfare system, and close to being kicked out of her foster home, a community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping her out of juvie and worse.

Vivian Daly has lived a quiet life on the coast of Maine. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are vestiges of a turbulent past. As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly discovers that she and Vivian aren't as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance.

The closer Molly grows to Vivian, the more she discovers parallels to her own life. A Penobscot Indian, she, too, is an outsider being raised by strangers, and she, too, has unanswered questions about the past. As her emotional barriers begin to crumble, Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life - answers that will ultimately free them both.

Rich in detail and epic in scope, Orphan Train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, of unexpected friendship, and of the secrets we carry that keep us from finding out who we are. 

My Thoughts

Orphan Train grabbed me from page one and kept me engaged until the end.  It was beautifully written and I loved how the author weaved Molly and Vivian's stories together - past and present in one flowing motion.  Molly reminds me so much of students I know in our high school.  Too many think they are rough, don't care, and troublemakers of the school.  But, when you get to know them, their stories - movement from home to home, struggles they have faced, dreams that have been shattered, deep rooted feelings of abandonment, it is hard to feel that way about them.  Molly tugged at my heart strings and I desperately wanted to know more about her background and how she ended up facing community service/jail time.  

Vivian's story overwhelming controls the main storyline.  As Molly serves her community service cleaning Vivian's attic, she learns about Vivian's devastating past - the good and the bad. Though difficult to read at points, Vivian's past is what helps her grow into the strong, determined, successful woman she became. Even as I write this post a few weeks after reading the book, I am still overcome by Vivian's life and how she stayed so positive and hopeful.  With school winding down (last day tomorrow!!!!), I know this will be one of the first books I book talk next year.  

Book Review: Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

I am not sure why, but I have never read a book by Sarah Dessen before Saint Anything.  Girls at my school love her books and we can't keep them on the shelves! I received my copy from Netgalley and I LOVED it.  I now want to go back and read her other books.

Summary from Goodreads:

Peyton, Sydney's charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton's increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?

Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.

The uber-popular Sarah Dessen explores her signature themes of family, self-discovery, and change in her twelfth novel, sure to delight her legions of fans. 

My Thoughts:

First off - why have I never read a Sarah Dessen book before???????  Saint Anything is all about characters.  I love the main character, Sydney and her friend, Layla.  Both are REAL and have raw emotions throughout the novel.  I appreciate that Sydney is so concerned about what happened to the boy who was hit and paralyzed by her brother and had a desperate need to make sure he was okay. She is a lost soul looking for guidance and support outside her family and met Layla at the right time. Layla is the type of person I would look for in a friend.  She is loyal and protective and understands the situation that Sydney is in.  They both came from such different family backgrounds, and yet their support and friendship is key to this story. Layla's family takes Sydney in and helps her heal.  

The only character I really disliked was Ames, Peyton's friend from rehab. He weaseled his way into Layla's family and gave me the creeps. His obsession with Layla made me very uncomfortable and I wanted to shake Layla's mom wondering how she didn't see how frightening he really is. UGH!  

If you are looking for a book that is character driven, one focused on family dynamics and true friendships,  definitely read Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen.

Assessment: How Do You Assess Students Using Reading Workshop?

Assessment:  How Do You Assess Students Using Reading Workshop?

Assessment has been on my brain a lot lately.  After I wrote a guest post for the Three Teachers Talk blog about the effects of giving students choice in what they read, one of my mom's friends (a retired teacher), asked my mom, "I love what Melissa is doing with the teachers in her school, but HOW do these teachers assess what their students have read?"  That question is a tough one and I think teachers would have varied answers depending on their philosophy of the purpose of a high school English class.

My philosophy:  Straight up - I am not an English teacher.  I don't believe that every student must read Lord of the Flies or The Great Gatsby to be a productive member of society or to be able to understand literary terms.  As a child, I loved to read, but I wasn't very good at it.  I was what many English teachers would call a "surface level" reader.  I got the basic plot, but missed all of the symbolism, similes, metaphors, figurative language, etc. that I was supposed to understand to get to a deeper meaning of a text.  My teachers made me feel so stupid that I refused to read the required books, instead I was just like many of the students I work with today.  In order to pass my English assessments, Cliff Notes and I were best friends.  

I vowed that I would never make my students feel the way I did about reading. Instead, when I taught 4th and 5th grade, I embraced Reading Workshop and literature circles with my students.  My ultimate goal as a teacher was to spark my students interest in books and to push them to challenge themselves as readers.  As a classroom teacher, my reading assessments were simple:  I had my students talk about their books with each other and write A LOT.  The students and I wrote letters to teach other every week about what they were reading.  They researched their authors. They researched the time periods or events that occurred.  They created their own group discussion questions based on their analyses of the books they were reading and then reflected in writing on what they learned more deeply about the book from their group members.  When asked, "Have you read all of these books or how do you know if they are truly reading?" I always told the doubters to come into my classroom and talk with my students. Ask them about the books they are reading and why they chose the books they did to read? They will tell you.

Now that I am helping teachers implement Reading Workshop in high school English classes the question of assessment has popped up again.  Many high school teachers struggle with not being able to keep up with all the books their students are reading or are worried that the students are not reading them "beyond the surface level."  I believe high school students can still be assessed through conversation and through writing. There is no need for reading quizzes on the minute details of a text.  The teachers I work with are assessing their students daily:  We touch base with students individually as often as time allows to really delve into what they were reading.  We use shorter texts to teach deeper analysis and ask their students to apply analysis practices to their own books.  We encourage students to create book clubs and record their group conversations to show them how deeply they have connected with the novels.  Our students create book trailers, give book talks, and of course, write.  No matter what method, our students are constantly being asked to reflect on the books they have read and how they have grown as readers. These assessments are exciting to hear, read, and grade!

I am always looking for new and creative ways to assess students.  How do you assess reading workshop?  Please share in the comments below.

Book Review: The Secrets We Keep by Trisha Leaver

The Secrets We Keep by Trisha Leaver

What would you do if you woke up in the hospital and everyone in your family thought you were your twin sister?  Would you tell the truth or pretend to be someone you are not?

Summary from Goodreads:

A girl takes over her twin sister's identity in this emotionally charged page-turner about the complicated bond between sisters.

Ella and Maddy Lawton are identical twins. Ella has spent her high school years living in popular Maddy's shadows, but she has never been envious of Maddy. In fact, she's chosen the quiet, safe confines of her sketchbook over the constant battle for attention that has defined Maddy's world.

When—after a heated argument—Maddy and Ella get into a tragic accident that leaves her sister dead, Ella wakes up in the hospital surrounded by loved ones who believe she is Maddy. Feeling responsible for Maddy's death and everyone's grief, Ella makes a split-second decision to pretend to be Maddy. Soon, Ella realizes that Maddy's life was full of secrets. Caught in a web of lies, Ella is faced with two options—confess her deception or live her sister's life.

My Thoughts:

While some reviewers found this book to be predictable and simplistic, I was actually engaged right from the beginning of the story. I found the relationship between the two sisters to be realistic and they reminded me of my own two children who love each other, yet struggle to get along.   I can only imagine the guilt that Ella felt throughout this whole story:  when her sister was killed in a car accident while she was driving, waking up to everyone thinking she is Maddy, pretending to be Maddy, and finally learning about Maddy's deep dark secret.  In the end, I took comfort in knowing that Ella's story ended on a happier note.  

More than anything, I think this book gives teens some moral questions to think about.  How far will you go to get what you want?  What is the importance of telling the truth?  How do you continue to live and move forward after dealing with the death of a loved one?   Who are your true friends and how do you know?  

If you are interested in a book about the power of a sister's love, check out The Secrets We Keep by Trisha Leaver.