About Jeff Kinney
From the Back of the Book"Whatever you do, don't ask Greg Heffley how he spent his summer vacation, because he definitely doesn't want to talk about it. As Greg enters the new school year, he's eager to put the past three months behind him ... and one event in particular. Unfortunately for Greg, his older brother, Rodrick, knows all about the incident Greg wants to keep under wraps. But secrets have a way of getting out ... especially when a diary is involved." WeaknessesThe title of the book and the deep, dark secret that is mentioned on the back of the book are both misleading. Rodrick rarely holds the secret's threat over Greg's head, so it's hard to really make known that Rodrick's rule over Greg is really that monumental. I forgot there was even this mysterious, no-one-needs-to-know event until the end of the book when it is revealed. In the "Weaknesses" section of the first book in the series review, I pointed out the overuse of the sentence starter "so." It was continuously used in the second installment, as well. So, there may be no hope for Kinney in that regard. I also noticed, in both books, Kinney's incorrect use of "me" instead of "I." Let's review (Thanks, Canada!): Here are two examples that I found from Rodrick Rules that I found error with:
Strengths
RecommendationI would recommend this book to elementary and middle school students with an older sibling or close in age cousin. As we began to see at the end of the first book, Rodrick and Greg are forced to interact. In Rodrick Rules, their forced interactions have multiplied and neither are happy. Most kids can relate to the pain and agony of having to hang out with a sibling or cousin that they just don't want to on any given day whether they are the older or younger one. I think this book would evoke a lot of laughs and "oh yeahs!" from kids recalling memories or events with their siblings and/or cousins. Why Did I Read This Book? As I expand my Diary of a Wimpy kid knowledge, I continue to pick up on the strategies and nuances Kinney is using. The power of the pictures are important and the character building is subtle, but there. All of these notes are added to my brain as I continue to plan for my Red Cedar Writing Project Spartan Writing Camp session on creating your own Diary of a Wimpy Kid adventure.
I am also able to count it for the following reading challenges:
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About Jeff Kinney
From the Back of the Book"Being a kid can really stink. And no one knows this better than Greg Heffley, who finds himself thrust into middle school, where undersized weaklings share the hallways with kids who are taller, meaner, and already shaving. In Diary of a Wimpy Kid, author and illustrator Jeff Kinney introduces us to an unlikely hero. As Greg says in his diary: Just don't expect me to be all 'Dear Diary' this and 'Dear Diary' that. Luckily for us, what Greg Heffley says he won't do and what he actually does are two very different things." StrengthsWhen I picked up this book, I noticed that on the cover it read, "a novel in cartoons." This little line explained the premise of the book and series. I think the cartoons in the book help to establish who was who with consistent and unique characteristics of each character. Another strength of the book's cartoons were how they drove the plot. In some instances a cartoon would provide details that the text did not. For example, Greg tried out for the school play and a portion of the tryout was singing: "Mrs. Norton, the music director made everyone sing "My Country 'Tis of Thee" so she could hear our singing voices. I did my singing tryouts with a bunch of other boys whose moms made them come, too. I tried to sing as quietly as possible, but of course I got singled out, anyway. I have no idea what a 'soprano' is, but from the way some of the girls were giggling, I knew it wasn't a good thing" (97-98). The text breaks with Greg telling the reader he gets singled out. The cartoon shows how he was singled out, and then the text picks back up and adds commentary for the situation. This nuance is important because it always readers to read (and analyze) a different type of text. Also, struggling readers may not know what a soprano is, but they would be able to relate to Greg because he does not know either. The book has a lot of these instances. I think they are extremely important because the cartoons add a variety of text development that a regular novel does not have. WeaknessesWhile I realize that Kinney is writing from a middle school student's perspective and trying to be authentic, I don't think that Kinney realizes the consequences of this choice. Students often write in similar ways and styles of that that they read. Recently, my middle school students ended a short story unit. As I conferenced with each student on their writing, I noticed that a lot of them were beginning a majority of their sentences with the word "so." Despite my efforts to correct and teach sentence variety, my students were continuing this practice. I asked myself time and time again, "WHY?" After reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid, I know why. Kinney begins a majority of his sentences with the word "so." Here are several examples from the book. I have purposefully looked for them around every 25 pages.
This book is littered with "so" beginning a sentence. It was difficult to select just one example every 25 pages. And, while it is not against any grammar rules to begin a sentence with "so" or "and" or "but," it can get redundant and unoriginal. RecommendationFirst and foremost, I would recommend this book to educators who teach upper elementary and middle school. Rather than scoff at the title, like I originally did, dig in and see what your students are reading. This book was an eye opener for me, as mentioned above. It is extremely important to know and understand what our students are reading. I would also recommend this book to struggling middle school and even high school readers. The content of this book is easy to understand and the pictures that accompany the text make the plot and characters come to life. Reading this book or a book in the series would provide that struggling reader with a sense of accomplishment that they can read! Why Did I Read This Book?The main reason why I read this book is because I am an instructor for Red Cedar Writing Project's Spartan Writing Camps this summer. I am in the process of creating a writing camp curriculum centered on having students in grades 6-8 write their own adventures that are based on Jeff Kinney's format of the series.
I also read this book because I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. As my students and I participate in Reading Roll Call each week, I hear the Diary of a Wimpy Kid titles constantly. Last week, when I announced that I was reading the first DoaWK (my shorthand of the titles), one student said to me, "You can't read that book." I reminded the student and his classmates that we can read any book we want as long as it is 150 pages or longer. I also said that there is not a filter on a book anyone can read. One of my big goals this school year has been to diminish reading stereotypes in my classroom and encourage lifelong reading. I am also able to count it for the following reading challenges:
New Format: I have made changes to my book reviews to provide a more critical and comprehensive review. I hope you enjoy! If you have any questions, have feedback, or want me to review a book, feel free to contact me. At a GlanceFrom the Back of the Book"19 Katherines and counting ... When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton's type is girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact. On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed-up prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun - but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship and avenge Dumpees everywhere, and may finally win him the girl." About John Green
StrengthsA strength in An Abundance of Katherines was the use of footnotes. Usually we associate footnotes with boring citations and longwinded explanations to an unknown word or event the author is alluding to. John Green did provide actual definitions of unknown words and/or historical events, but in a humorous way. He also gave the reader explanations to inside jokes between characters and funny anecdotes. An excellent example of Green's footnote use happened on page 46 of the book in a conversation between one of the many Katherines and Colin. Please excuse my makeshift footnotes. Colin was explaining to one of the Katherines, "Because its important to know things. For an example, I just recently learned that Roman Emperor Vitellius once ate one thousand oysters in one day, which is a very impressive act of abligurition, (^21) ..." Later, Colin contemplated, "Why had Ovid lived in Ancient Rome in 20 BCE (^22) and not Chicago in 2006 CE? …" _____ (^21) An actual, if very obscure, English word, which means “the spending of too much money on food.” (^22) One no longer says AD or BC. It’s just not hip anymore. These days, one says either CE (for Common Era) or BCE (for Before Common Era). Another strength the book had was John Green capturing colloquial language between characters. This "everyday language" showed Green's strong development of characters that made them relatable to the reader because of the language they used. For example, Colin and Hassan often say the word "fug" instead of "fuck". On page 119, Colin says, "I'm fugging exhausted from staying up half the night reading a fugging book about the invention of the television ..." Lindsay questions the use of "fug" with, "Hey, why the fuck do you and Hassan say fug all the time?" Colin goes on to explain the origin of the word "fug" was from American novelist, Norman Mailer. When Mailer wrote The Naked and The Dead, he littered the original manuscript with the f-word, and the publisher turned down the work because of it. Mailer, in turn, replaced all the f-bombs with "fug" and the work was published in 1948. Colin was reading Mailer's "fug" filled book when he met Hassan. He shared the replacement word with Hassan, they came to the conclusion that they could "say it in class without getting in trouble" (120), and the word "fug" became a part of their vernacular. WeaknessesI found Colin to be an annoyingly stubborn character. I know, the book is about self discovery and that takes a while to develop, but this plot line was too drawn out for me. Colin was constantly stuck on solving his theorem, the Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, and was missing out on new adventures with Hassan and his new friend, Lindsey in Gutshot, TN. I also found myself skipping over portions of the book that had charts, graphs, bell curves, and math equations. I'm not much of a math person, so this part was confusing. I still got the gist without reading all of the math jargon, and you can too, if math confuses you, too. Why Did I Read This Book?During an interview for an English teaching position, I was asked, "What young adult book have you recently read AND enjoyed?" I had just finished Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak and did not like it, and had been only reading my required texts for #RCWP2015. I did not have an answer. I told the hiring panel about Speak and then told them about my long list of YA books from #BookBracket2015, but knew that I needed to read more YA. When I got home from the interview, I started An Abundance of Katherines because I realized I needed to be reading more YA as a teacher of English to both enjoy and recommend to my students. I also read An Abundance of Katherines because it counted towards a category in the Spring/Summer Goodreads Reading Challenge that I am participating in. I earned 15 points for reading a book that did not have an "L" in the title and the author's name. The category originates from "No 'L' Day" which is celebrated on December 25th every year. If you read that fast enough, you would have noticed its a pun on the word "Noel." RecommendationYou should read An Abundance of Katherines if you are looking for a fun and engaging YA book that just so happens to be about self discovery. I think anyone could find a "way in" and connect with this book.
Also, if you consider yourself a John Green fan and have only read The Fault in Our Stars, you need to expand your knowledge of the John Green canon and read An Abundance of Katherines.
ReviewAnne Lamott voice is very present in Bird by Bird. Even though I have never heard her voice in person, I feel like I don't need to after reading this book. Lamott's pieces of advice are humorous at times, but can become a little long winded. When these long winded bouts of her going on and on or when she would make a dumb joke, I would pause, and say, "Oh, Anne. You're at it again" and close the book. For that reason, I gave the book an Exceptional. The advice on writing and life was very powerful and meaningful to me, especially as I navigated through the Red Cedar Writing Project Summer Institute. Prior to the SI, I did not identify as a writer, but Lamott's writing was the beginning of my realization that anyone can be a writer. Classroom ImplicationsMy favorite chapter in this book was titled "Shitty First Drafts." I think that this chapter is the best one to pull out of the book, make 150 copies, and put it in the hands of my students to read. I bet the word "shitty" will get their attention, along with the fact that no one has to read their first draft ... but they still have to have it in order to go through the writing process. Its not a process if you turn in your only attempt at writing down what you want to say. All of the other chapters provide great advice on whatever the chapter is called. Dialogue. Character. Plot. Perfectionism. Having this book at the ready is important as you and your students go through the writing process every day. So What?
Continuing the ConversationHave you ever read Bird by Bird? If so, what are your thoughts about it? What other books would you recommend regarding writing? Feel free to comment below! I would love to add to my list!
ReviewThis book is packed with a ton of information. The book opened with helpful definitions to orient the reader with the ideas of inquiry, literacy, and service in the classroom just in case they were not aware of what they were or how the authors were going to be referring to them as. These definitions and the examples that accompanied them provided an excellent scaffold in and out of each detailed unit, essential question, project, etc. that the authors described. I killed several highlighters while reading this book just because I wanted to note and remember all of the excellent concepts, unit plans, essential questions, etc. moving forward. Jeffrey Wilhelm and the authors are all Teacher Consultants for the Boise State Writing Project, and their passion for teaching with inquiry, literacy, and service are very present on every page of the book. Because I read this during my Summer Institute at the Red Cedar Writing Project, I felt an instant bond with these teachers and could see their thought process with the lens of the National Writing Project. This book is Exceptional because it provides the reader with a new approach to teaching, while still being adaptable across grade levels and content areas. As I mentioned before, the book is packed, and at times overwhelming. Jeffrey and the rest of the authors seemed to do everything so fluidly in their classrooms that it made the thought of implementation very daunting, especially for a first year teacher. Classroom ImplicationsThis whole book implies and includes the classroom. I felt the authors did a great job chunking up chapters by the types of service that can be accomplished through this approach.
So What?Out of these chapters, I believe "Service to School" is an important service to focus on because school is often viewed as a place where students have to be rather than a place they want to be. Wilhelm says, “schools need to be places that students find not only safe, but also engaging, significant, and fun” and where they can “engage in personally and socially significant work with other people that they could not do on their own” (59). The chapter focuses on several examples of how students can engage with projects focused on service to their schools. The first project has students becoming “actual historians” as they conduct primary research and explore the multiple aspects that have shaped the history and culture of the school. Both a third space is created and service is provided to the larger community by discovering aspects of the school’s history that may not be known. Through students’ work in their school, whether conducting historical research or transforming school culture, students and their teachers become democratic citizens. Wilhelm et al uses Todd DeStigter’s definition of “democracy” to further the democratic citizens point. DeStigter defined democracy as “a way of interacting with others by which all people have the desire, ability, and opportunity to participate in shaping their individual and collective lives” (64). Continuing the ConversationDo you implement inquiry, literacy, and/or service into your classroom? What projects or units have been the most effective in terms of service? Feel free to comment below!
ReviewIf you are an English educator stuck or tired of your current grammar techniques then you need to check out Mechanically Inclined. Not feeling like you're the best at grammar? Don't worry! Anderson claims he is not the best either. This kind of humility and a touch of tried and true methods are sprinkled throughout the book to provide easy to understand grammar instruction. The first half of the book is a run through of the established tools Anderson uses in his classroom, including the Writer's Notebook, Wall Charts, and the Editor's Checklist. The second half of the book is sectioned off into mini grammar units with simple lessons to get your stuck-grammar-mind out of the maze and onto something great! I gave Mechanically Inclined an Exceptional rating because some of his methods and activities are great for connecting with students with grammar. Anderson is a middle school teacher, so as a high school minded teacher, it would take a bit more thought and creativity on my end to come up with a lesson or activity just as exceptional. I'm not looking for cookie cutter lesson plans to copy and implement immediately, but I do find it difficult to build some of the lessons to a high school lessons. Classroom ImplicationsI first read Mechanically Inclined during an undergraduate course titled "Crafting Teaching Practices" for English education students. We read and reviewed the rationale of the day-to-day practices of Anderson and his middle school classroom. For lesson planning and teaching practice, each of us in the class was assigned a lesson from the back of the book. We were required to modify, as needed, and teach it to our peers. This was a great way for us to plan and implement ideas in a supportive, reflective, low stakes environment. The classroom implications for preservice teachers are endless. My second read of this book was for the Red Cedar Writing Project Summer Institute. We set up our Writer's Notebooks the way Anderson suggests (see below for more information). All of our writing, if done by hand, was written in our Writer's Notebook. By doing this we were able to enact what it would be like to have Jeff Anderson's Writer's Notebook as a student. So What?"What's up with the Writer's Notebook movement? Why should students write only in a notebook? How I am going to collect that and grade it?" Nonbeliever of the Writer's Notebook Nonbelievers of the Writer's Notebook "movement" are often quick to jump to conclusions about the potential of the Writer's Notebook. Like many educational nuances, they are unable to try out and incorporate a new idea into their classroom. I am a believer of the Writer's Notebook. I was first introduced to the idea of the Writer's Notebook upon my first read of Mechanically Inclined. I kept it in my toolbox, and was introduced to another version during my internship in an Oakland County School. This "so what?" section will present these two versions of the Writer's Notebook, along with one of my RCWP colleague's version from her classroom. I will present the ideas that I think will work best in my classroom moving forward. Jeff Anderson's Writer's Notebooks are composition notebooks that need to be meticulously set up prior to use. In addition to this strict set up, rules are established regarding the use of the Writer's Notebook, such as never tear out a page of the notebook to only write on the right-hand pages (30). The sections of the Writer's Notebook are as follows:
Oakland Schools English 9 Writer's Notebook is implemented right off that bat according to the scope and sequence of the traditional English 9 curriculum. The concept of a Writer's Notebook is the be reintroduced to students, as previous grade levels have already used it. The first lesson of using the Writer's Notebook is based off of Ralph Fletcher's quote: "A writer's notebook works just like an incubator: a protective place to keep your infant idea safe and warm, a place for it to grow while it is too young, too new, to survive on its own." The Writer's Notebook is to be a "place to record observations, questions, thoughts, drafts of writing, memories, etc." In addition to this mindset, it is encouraged that teachers write alongside students and share frequently. Students and teachers are encouraged to make the notebook their own by decorating the front cover "with their own values and interests." Jessyca Mathew's Writer's Notebook is divided into five sections. Students are required to have a new notebook each semester they have her. Rather than only writing on the right-hand pages, Jessyca's students are able to write on any of the pages.
My Ideal Writer's Notebook would be divided into sections similar to Anderson's and Mathew's. I like the organization that sections affords students. I like the idea of only writing on the right-hand pages to write, record, take notes, etc. and have the left-hand side be used for edits, revisions, and/or brainstorming. I have found this sandbox space to be helpful towards my writing. Personalizing the Writer's Notebook is a great idea, too, and, if time is allotted in class to decorate, it allows students to build a community of writer's. Reviewing these formats of Writer's Notebooks have given me a solid start to designing my own use for them in the classroom. As the fall approaches and curriculum is planned out, I will look back on these set ups and develop a useful Writer's Notebook for my students and I to use. Continuing the ConversationDo you use Writer's Notebooks in your classroom? If so, what is your format? If not, why? Feel free to comment below!
ReviewIf you have ever read a Kelly Gallagher book then you know about the sheer brilliance, research, planning, and thought that goes into his work. If you have never read a Kelly Gallagher book, but are familiar with his name then you finally get to experience the essence of him. If you have no idea who Kelly Gallagher is then welcome. Enjoy this book for all it is and reap the benefit of now understanding Kelly Gallagher. A lot of this book was a repeat of what Gallagher has mentioned in past books and in his Twitter feed. The book breaks apart the CCSS for English and provides a unique perspective by complimenting it with excellent detail and showcasing the great aspects, but also shining a light on the no-so-great parts. One of the themes of the book is that we, as educators, should not become attached to the CCSS because a new set will roll into town eventually and have the potential to be something completely different. He reviews and assesses practices that align with the CCSS, but are also in the best interest of our students. The book is hot off the press (2015), takes a critical approach to the CCSS, and provides a lot of excellent examples of ideas that I want to implement now. I killed a lot of highlighters in this book highlighting everything I wanted to remember and keep in my back pocket. This book is a must read and is Monumental! Classroom ImplicationsWhile I wouldn't reference this book as an excellent read to my students, this book would be a great mentor text to further what the Activist Learner represents. The book dives into Gallagher's inquiry into what truly is best for our students. It also is a great mentor text for teachers. Teachers can use this book and follow its format, adding personal classroom experience in letters to department chairs, building and district administration, lawmakers, parents, etc. The audience that could be reached with this book is huge! So What?As mentioned above in the overview section, I would love to have the writers of the Common Core State Standards read this book with a critical lens towards their product. To be a fly on the wall during the reading of the book, bookclubs between themselves, and/or discussions with Kelly Gallagher and the teachers trying to navigate through the standards would be amazing. As long as everyone approached the book and discussion with a clear, open mind, I think the conversation could begin to move forward in two directions - 1). What's next? and 2). What is in the best interest of our students? Yeah, that's right, Kelly Gallagher. I added a word there - "our." My students differ from your students. Your students and their needs, wants, goals, desires, dreams, etc. are different than my students. I have to keep in mind what is in the best interest of my demographic. Continuing the ConversationWhat are your thoughts on the Common Core State Standards? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Feel free to comment below!
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The Avalanche of Books
As an educator and avid reader, I am constantly hearing about books. I feel like I am being chased by a giant, rolling avalanche of titles and authors. Rating System
5 books - New fave! Read it now!
4 books - Shelf worthy 3 books - Quality read, but ... 2 books - Borrow it 1 book - Skip it Archives
December 2017
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