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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2084 KP) rated Sidekicks in Books
Mar 9, 2018
When a superhero decides to get a new sidekick, his pets want in on the act. And that's not quite as bad an idea as it sounds.
This graphic novel is fun, and middle school students will enjoy it. Heck, I enjoyed it, and I'm an adult.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/06/book-review-sidekicks-by-dan-santat.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
This graphic novel is fun, and middle school students will enjoy it. Heck, I enjoyed it, and I'm an adult.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/06/book-review-sidekicks-by-dan-santat.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Booksnthreads (19 KP) created a post in Middle School English Teachers
Jun 4, 2018
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Show
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a musical comedy with music and lyrics by William...
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010)
5.9
Rate It
Movie Watch
This film follows Greg during his first year at Middle School and all the trials and tribulations...
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Small Spaces (Small Spaces #1) in Books
Jul 24, 2019
Fantasy Horror Book marketed for middle school/middle grades
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
Katherine Arden is best known for her adult/young adult fantasy novel, The Bear and the Nightingale. With Small Spaces, Katherine Arden ventures into writing for middle school-aged children. This creepy horror book brought me back to my childhood where I stayed up late reading Lois Duncan, Richard Peck, and Joan Lowery Nixon. Those authors, among others, wrote horror books for children that were able to scare you without being gory.
The description of Small Spaces brought to mind the movie Jeepers Creepers 2 - a school bus full of children breaks down and they are in danger of something in the night/dark. That is where the similarities end. Arden teams up 3 students who are classmates but not friends. They leave the bus for the safety of the forest...
This story is tame compared to many of the horror movies children have seen in recent years. It is the innocence of the story while being scary and suspenseful that makes it such an interesting read.
Small Spaces is the first book in her Small Spaces series. The 2nd, Dead Voices, has a release date of August 27, 2019. I preordered it and will review it as soon as possible.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 7/24/19.
Katherine Arden is best known for her adult/young adult fantasy novel, The Bear and the Nightingale. With Small Spaces, Katherine Arden ventures into writing for middle school-aged children. This creepy horror book brought me back to my childhood where I stayed up late reading Lois Duncan, Richard Peck, and Joan Lowery Nixon. Those authors, among others, wrote horror books for children that were able to scare you without being gory.
The description of Small Spaces brought to mind the movie Jeepers Creepers 2 - a school bus full of children breaks down and they are in danger of something in the night/dark. That is where the similarities end. Arden teams up 3 students who are classmates but not friends. They leave the bus for the safety of the forest...
This story is tame compared to many of the horror movies children have seen in recent years. It is the innocence of the story while being scary and suspenseful that makes it such an interesting read.
Small Spaces is the first book in her Small Spaces series. The 2nd, Dead Voices, has a release date of August 27, 2019. I preordered it and will review it as soon as possible.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 7/24/19.
Let's Dance A Waltz 2
Book
When Hime Makimura was young, her mother told her that she could be like a princess someday. Now...
Let's Dance A Waltz 3
Book
When Hime Makimura was young, her mother told her that she could be like a princess someday. Now...
The Chocolate Lady (94 KP) rated Green in Books
Oct 7, 2020
Set in 1992 in Boston, this coming-of-age story attempts to tackle the issues of class and race as from the viewpoint of David Greenfeld, one of the few white kids entering King Middle School. There David meets Marlon, a quite boy living in public housing down the block from David’s house, and somehow, they become unlikely friends. Together they’re hoping to get out of King and into the prestigious Latin school, which could pave their way to getting into college, maybe even Harvard. You can read more about this coming-of-age story in my review here.
https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2018/01/06/owning-your-team-colors/
https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2018/01/06/owning-your-team-colors/
Booksnthreads (19 KP) rated What Would She Do? 25 True Stories of Trailblazing Rebel Women in Books
Jun 4, 2018
My classroom library is somewhat lacking when it comes to non-fiction. I often have a difficult time finding non-fiction that is engaging for a middle school audience.
While I think that this will interest my students, as an adult reader, it's a bit lacking in depth.
I like the bite-sized chunks of information and the bold illustrations of each woman profiled in the book. The biographical information is just the right amount for this age group.
What I really objected to was the attempt to provide life advice from each woman. After each biography, the author imagines a modern real life question readers might have and then attempts to answer that question as the woman who was just profiled might. The whole thing feels incredibly contrived and, at times, not even loosely connected to the woman who was just profiled. I think I actually cringed with some of them because of how cliche and didactic they are.
While I think that this will interest my students, as an adult reader, it's a bit lacking in depth.
I like the bite-sized chunks of information and the bold illustrations of each woman profiled in the book. The biographical information is just the right amount for this age group.
What I really objected to was the attempt to provide life advice from each woman. After each biography, the author imagines a modern real life question readers might have and then attempts to answer that question as the woman who was just profiled might. The whole thing feels incredibly contrived and, at times, not even loosely connected to the woman who was just profiled. I think I actually cringed with some of them because of how cliche and didactic they are.