#BookTalkTuesday August 1, 2017

It's #BookTalkTuesday, summer edition. Today's recommendation comes from an incoming 4th grader. 

P. recommends The Forgetting. - The Forgetting is about how one girl named Nadia never forgot. In Caaan every twelve years everybody forgets everything about themselves... who they loved, who their parents were and even what they had accomplished in life. Nadia is on a quest to stop the forgeting but is she really the only one who ever remembered?

His review: I think this book is very interesting because it makes Nadia a hero for doing something that we do for our whole lives. In the book Nadia remembers every twelve years while about everyone else forgets. She uses her ability to try to stop The forgetting which makes her a hero.

Thanks for the review, P! Sounds like a book I would enjoy. That's all for this week. I hope to here from more of my students and will post when I get them. Please comment or share your recommendations in the comments. We love hearing from you!

#IMWAYR July 31, 2017

Each week I join Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers to share all of the reading I've done over the week from picture books to young adult novels. 

Summer is half over and I'm feeling pretty accomplished. Those of you who read my blog know that I'm starting a new position in the fall, teaching 2 - 5th grade advanced learners ELA. During this past week I planned the first 15 days of third grade and I'm almost done organizing the first 15 days of 4th. I joined a new Facebook group called Passionate Readers Book Club and they've helped me out with some great recommendations to enrich my plans. My work has also guided some of my summer reading, as you will see below.

Here's what I read this week:

Middle Grade

The Secret Garden was the recommended class novel for my new 4th grade curriculum. Since it's been years since I read it, I revisited it this week. You can never be sure what you will think when you go back and read a childhood favorite. This book didn't disappoint. I loved the overall message that positive thinking and kindness contain magic. I did find the language difficult to follow at times so I have decided to use it as a read aloud and have my students read other books where the character goes through dramatic character change. In the book the main character, Mary, starts off contrary, disagreeable, and selfish and learns to be thoughtful, kind, and caring. If you have other recommendations of characters who go through significant internal change, please let me know. Some books I have so far are Fish in a Tree, Because of Winn Dixie, Restart, Pilfer Academy, Esperanza Rising, and Ghost.

Harry Potter fans will enjoy this series about a boy named Max who didn't know he had magical powers until he finds himself in a secret room of an art museum with a tapestry that comes to life. As soon as he arrives home he receives his invitation to go to Rowan Academy, a school for magical people. While it is hard to describe this book in a way that doesn't sound like Harry Potter, this book has enough differences that it will feel new.

Florian Bates has moved so many times that he developed a way to learn about people quickly. He calls it TOAST, the Theory Of All Small Things. By looking at small details instead of the big picture, he is able to learn information very quickly. So quickly in fact that along with his new best friend Margaret, he is able to solve crimes faster than the FBI, which is why they put him on their payroll. I loved this book and need to find a way to add it as a read aloud at some point. All of my students should be practicing TOAST.

Young Adult

This may be my favorite of Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunter Books, and that's saying a lot because I love this series. What I find remarkable is that among the shadowhunters, demons, faeries, vampires, action, adventure, etc, there are also serious issues addressed such as prejudice, racism, and LGBTQ acceptance. I am looking forward to the next one.

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Stacy Barnett Mozer is a teacher and a middle grade author. If you like what she's been reading follow her on Goodreads. Please leave a comment below and stop by the blog on Thursday for a new author interview. This week I'll be talking with Holly McGhee. 

It's Monday, what are you reading? 

Interview with #MG and #YA Author Shari Green

It’s Thursday so it is time for another author interview! Today I talk with Shari Green. Shari writes middle grade and young adult fiction. She's in love with stories and the sea, and can often be found curled up with a good book and a cup of tea, or wandering the beaches near her home on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. In her non-writing life, Shari works as a Licensed Practical Nurse. She's married to her high school sweetheart and has four children. 

When did you decide to become an author?

I first wrote novel-length fiction during NaMoWriMo 2005. I'd dabbled in writing non-fiction for many years, but once I finished a first draft of my first novel during that crazy November challenge, I was hooked. 

Tell us about your journey. How did you get your first book published?

My first book was a YA novel called Following Chelsea. It was my third completed manuscript. After revising based on feedback from critique partners, I researched agents and started querying. I signed with an agent and worked with her on more (and more!) revisions. However, we parted ways before going on submission, so I ended up subbing the manuscript myself to Evernight Teen. I was thrilled when they offered! Following Chelsea was published as an e-book in 2014.

Was there ever a point when you felt like giving up?

There were times when I was seriously discouraged and when I wondered if all the work and trying and rejection was worth it. I still get discouraged some days. It can be a difficult journey, for sure! But I've never wanted to give up.

Is there anything about being a published author that has surprised you?

I think I had fairly realistic expectations -- perhaps a perk of taking a long while to break in to publishing, and of having many writer-friends! But maybe I was struck a bit with the truth of "it doesn't get easier" -- there are still days when everything I write is garbage, when my work is rejected, when I wrestle with doubts or imposter syndrome. And yet, I appreciate the journey I'm on. I know I'm lucky to have my books out in the world, and I'm so grateful to have the support of friends, family, fellow writers, and especially readers. 

Any advice you would give to a writer just starting out?

Read widely. Find your tribe (other writers who "get it", who can offer honest but kind feedback on your work, and who can be part of a mutual support and encouragement team). And don't lose sight of the joy -- remember what you love about writing, so when the publishing journey is hard, it won't overwhelm you. 

Is there anything else about you or your books you would like to tell us?

My most recent books are both middle grade novels in verse -- ROOT BEER CANDY AND OTHER MIRACLES came out in 2016, and MACY McMILLAN AND THE RAINBOW GODDESS in 2017. I hadn't planned to write in verse when I began working on RBCAOM, nor had I planned on the story being middle grade, but that's how it came out, and it felt like the most true-to-me writing I'd ever done. I learned from that experience the importance of both trusting my gut and following my heart (which is advice I probably should've included above!). 

Thank you so much, Stacy! 

Thank you, Shari!

For more about Shari Green and her books visit her online at her website and on twitter. Don't forget to leave a comment below and check back next week for a new author interview.