No More Dead Dogs

I have read a variety of books, for my Summer 2011 Book-A-Day Challenge, but No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman has to be my favorite, so far.  After hearing Gordon Korman speak at the All Write!!! Summer Institute, he had me wanting to read all of his books.  Gordon is big on humor and taking chances, within his writing.  No More Dead Dogs is a book about a boy who is tired of reading about dead dogs, in school.  As Gordon told us, while speaking and the Summer Institute, "think about it...in 3rd grade Sounder dies, 4th grade Stone Fox, 5th grade is a double whammy with Where the Red Fern Grows and then you get to high school and Jack London kills off an entire dog sledding team." 

In No More Dead Dogs, Wallace Wallace has to write a review over the book Old Shep, My Pal.  Wallace Wallace hated the book, and he writes just that.  However, this was not acceptable for his English teacher, because it is his all time favorite book.  The school happens to be doing a play based on the book, and Wallace Wallace has to serve his detentions, for not writing an appropriate review, at play practice.  In a hilarious turn of events, Wallace Wallace ends up changing the play, as well as the attitudes of many of the characters in the book.

On of my favorite lines in the book made me think of myself, as a teacher.  As many of you are aware, I was overly frustrated with the amount of boring test prep that the students, I work with, endured this past year.  The students were learning how to take a test, but were they really learning anything else.  They were bored and lifeless.  The play teacher in No More Dead Dogs states (p. 134) , "if you force the students to fit into the play, it'll come out lifeless and boring.  But if you mold the play to showcase the talents of the students, the sky's the limit." Isn't this so true, with students?  I have read, and plan on reading many more, teacher professional development books this summer, with one goal in mind; to mold my classroom around the talents of the students.  I want to be that teacher that helps students reach the sky, and for them not to just sit lifeless and bored in a class because they have to be there. 

Bud, Not Buddy - Book 10

For the past two years, I have heard two of my co-workers talk about how much they love Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis.  Finally, I took some time, today, to read it, and I'm so glad that I did.  This book is about a ten year old boy, Bud, struggling to find his father, during the Great Depression.  His mother died four year ago, and he has been living in an orphanage ever since.  Bud, has a hunch about who his father might be, but no other information.  Since he has no other family he decides to follow that hunch and walk 120 miles to find his father, that does not know Bud exists.  


I have always been infatuated by stories of the Great Depression.  My grandparents have told me stories of eating lard sandwiches. Also of their parents having to hide money in random places in the house, because they didn't trust the banks. The stories that I have heard, I'm sure, can't even begin to describe the hardship that people suffered.  This story touches on the beginning of unions, and how the government was opposed to unions.  It also describes some of the hardships African Americans had to face, during the Great Depression.  Reading stories, like this one, in which some of the characters were based around real people, makes me stop to appreciate what I have.  

small as an elephant

A person in my PLN read small as an elephant  by Jennifer Richard Jacobson for their book-a-day, so I decided to add it to my list.  Having no idea what this book was about, I kept setting it aside.  Finally, after much persistence from my two year old daughter to read the "underwearphant" book, I made it my book nine in the Book-A-Day Challenge.  I couldn't put down this great book!  Jack and his mother were going on a small trip to Maine, before the end of the summer.  However, Jack's mom disappears and he is left to fend for himself.  Jack does not want to ask for help, because he is worried about getting his mom in trouble with the authorities. He decides to make the trip, alone, without any money or food, from Maine back to Boston. Jack is used to his mom disappearing, as she has gone into her "spinning" phases before, but no matter what, Jack still has respect and love for his  mother.  Jack is determined to get to the one place where his mom will know that he still loves her and that everything is OK. 

As I was reading this book, I kept thinking about students past and present.  How many students have I asked if everything is alright, and they tell me a lie to protect their parents?  It makes me sad that children will put themselves in harms way to protect a parent, that is not suited to be a parent, even for reasons beyond their control.  After reading this book, I vow to build a rapport with ALL students, in case there may be a student going through a similar situation.  I can hopefully be someone that they can trust to go to for help, when their parent is not there mentally or physically, for them.

The Birthday Room - Book 8

I should have read my book eight, yesterday, for my birthday.  For my eighth book I read The Birthday Room by Kevin Henkes.  Ben, who just turned 12 years old, received two gifts for his birthday - a room and a letter. The letter was from his estranged Uncle Ian, who he had not seen since he was two years old.  Ben and his mom go to visit his Uncle Ian, despite some hesitation from his mom.  Everything changes for Ben when he is visiting his uncle.  He learns that no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something worse going on for someone else in life.    

This book was a quick, simple read, for me.  For anyone with inner-family issues (and who doesn't have those), after reading this book you might rethink grudges that are being held.  There I times, when I believe it is okay to break ties and say it's in the best interest of everyone, to not speak.  However, there are other times when I feel that grudges truly are a misunderstanding, and talking through the issue is the best way to a positive solution.

The Summer of Swans

Book seven, of the Book-A-Day Challenge, is one that was recommended to me by a fifth grade student.  The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars is about a fourteen year old girl, Sara, that is going through emotional ups and downs, during what seems to be a typical summer.  Everyone around her is making her upset, including her ten year old, mentally handicapped brother, Charlie.   One day Charlie disappears and Sara realizes what is really important in her life.

Even as an adult, I have those moments of ups and downs, like Sara experienced.  I stress about money, work, husband, children, cleaning and the list goes on.  Sometimes it takes an eye opening experience to snap me out of my "funk", as in the case with Sara when Charlie disappeared. It seems as those eye opening experiences tend to be tragic. Therefore, I try to focus on the positive and not let those "downs" affect my relationships with those around me, because a lot of times the downs aren't what they always seem to be.  

See You Later, Gladiator

On to book six of my Book-A-Day Challenge...See You Later, Gladiator by Jon Scieszka.  This is the 9th book in the Time Warp Trio book series.  I stumbled upon this book, in a pile of free books in the teacher's lounge.  I have never read any of the Time Warp Trio books, so I was hesitant to start with one in the middle of the series.  However, it's one of those books that you can pick up, no matter what order in the series, and follow along with all of the action.  

This book is about three boys that are transported back in time to fight Roman Gladiators.  There is a magical book (that I would probably know more about if I had read previous books in the series) that when opened to a certain page, produces a green mist and transports the trio to the same time period as the picture on the page. To return to present day, the trio must find the book somewhere in Rome (the time period in this particular book).  While they are looking for the book they must attempt to win a fight against Roman Gladiators.  

This book made me think of the book George Washington's Socks by Elvira Woodruff.  I enjoyed how both of the books put a twist on history.  George Washington's Socks was more in depth and full of more thought provoking action.  See You Later, Gladiator didn't provide as many true events and was a more simple read.  I plan on reading the rest of the Time Warp Trio books, to see how they compared to book nine in the series.  

The Titan's Curse

The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan was book #5, for my Book-A-Day Summer 2011 Challenge.  I would like to thank a student, Ryan, for introducing me to Percy Jackson and the Olympians.   Percy Jackson is a boy with dyslexia and ADHD.  At the beginning of the first book, of the Percy Jackson series, (The Lightning Thief) Percy discovers that he is a half-blood.  His mom is a mortal and his dad is one of the Greek gods.  The majority of the main characters are people from Greek mythology, which makes it easier for me, a Greek mythology lover, to follow. 


The Titan's Curse is the third out of five books, in this series.  In each book, so far, Percy has had to go on a quest to help prevent something terrible from happening.  Atlas is the main villain in this book, of the series.  Atlas has always been one of my favorite characters, in Greek mythology, which is probably why I couldn't put this book down.  Percy and his friends are sent on a quest to help save a friend, from the Titan god.  Before the quest begins the oracle predicts a sad ending for Percy and his friends.  Knowing that the oracle is never wrong, I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the ending.  


Throughout this book, Percy has to defy authority to stand up for friends.  I believe this is a very noble trait.  In real-life, there are many people who will tell you that they side with you, but they do not have the courage to stand up for you, when the pressure is on.  Percy is not afraid to tell anyone how he really feels, no matter if they are a Greek god or the person wanting to kill him, for the sake of saving his friends.  The amount of respect that I have for a person that is willing to do whatever it takes, to stand up for what they believe is right, is indescribable.