Goodreads Challenge 5/85: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Okay, okay, I started this book way back in November.  It was the book I keep in my backpack for emergencies--waiting rooms, lines--that kind of thing.  But that's no excuse.  I guess the reason it took me so long was because the book has about 15 short stories.  I'd start one and was motivated to finish it, but then I was done I'd put the book down for a while.

I selected this book for several reasons.  First, Sherlock Holmes is always on those "Top 100" lists for literary characters.  I want to form my own opinion.  Also, I'm a big fan of the TV show "House."  Greg House's character is loosely based on Sherlock Holmes, and I wanted to see for myself.  But most of all, I like to read mysteries, and I thought it was time I read this classic.

Sherlock Holmes (the guy) is definitely someone I'd like to have tea with.

Goodreads Challenge 4/85: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

We've all seen America's "most beloved movie," but have we all read the book?  The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum was free on Santino's Kindle, so I spent a couple of days wandering around the land of Oz.  Dorothy and friends spend a lot more time gettin' down with the people--it's wonderful to see how rich and imaginative this world is.  Definitely worth the price of admission.

Goodreads Challenge 3/85: The City of Ember

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau was one of those books on the Goodreads list that I added because I've heard of it before.  The style and setting reminded me of The Giver--but not quite as satisfying.  Really the book gets going about 3/4 of the way through, and then it's over.   Probably won't recommend it to my students except for those who are very patient.  I wonder how the movie is!

Goodreads Challenge 2/85: The Eyes of Kid Midas

Ahhhh, Neal Shusterman.  You are so easy to read.  The Eyes of Kid Midas comes in the middle of a series of books about kids who have special powers.  Some of the kids are werewolves, others are vampires--it varies from book to book.

Seventh grader Kevin Midas is at the bottom of the food chain.  Constantly picked on by other kids, he was bound to have a comeback.  On a field trip he discovers a pair of magical sunglasses.  Whatever he wishes comes to fruition.  Quickly he learns that you have to be careful for what you wish--for you may surely get it.

Goodreads Challenge 1/85: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Fine!  I broke down and read that book.  I mentioned in an earlier post that I felt left out when everybody I knew (adults, that is) was reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.  Celebrating the new year, as well as Santino's new Kindle, I downloaded this book for $5 and read it while we were on vacation in Santa Cruz.

I can see why everyone was crazy about this book.  It's filled with action, suspense, horror, and certainly it's a page-turner.  The characters were intriguing and you can't beat the location.  However if I hear one more time about sandwiches I think I'll have to stop reading the book and actually eat one.

Time to read the next book in the series....

85 Reasons to Read

I'm a member of the social networking group, Goodreads.com.  It's a group devoted to--you guessed it--reading.  Similar to other social network sites like Facebook and MySpace, you make friends with people, send messages, share ideas, etc.  But the focus of this site is books--books, books, and more books.

I heard about Goodreads from a cashier at Borders named Angela.  She suggest the website because I guess I was talking her ear off while I was holding up the register line, and the thought I would enjoy the site.

When you first log on, you are asked to look at  a list of, say, 100 books.  Have you read them? If so, how would you rate it?  If not, would you like to read it?  The books include all genres--they ask you about books from The DaVinci Code to Dracula, from Pride and Prejudice to The Princess Bride--there's something for everybody.

Eventually you come up with a booklist--books you have read in the past and books you plan to read.  You can look at other people's lists for ideas.  Eventually when you collect friends, you can compare your taste in books.  If you love to read, this is Mecca.

Goodreads is my current not-so-guilty pleasure.  I get ideas from friends for new books, look at booklists from other people, take quizzes, write reviews.  I've amassed a list of over 400 books.  I've read at least 350 of those, and the others are on my "to-read" list.  My homepage includes a list of books I am currently reading--usually that's at least 3 books since I keep one at school, a few at home, and one in my backpack.  Sometimes my friends list books that look interesting and I add those to my booklist.  I don't feel so bad about my addiction to this social network because, hey, it's all about books so it can't be that bad.

At the beginning of January, Goodreads posted the "2011 Goodreads Challenge."  You commit to reading a certain number of books during the year.  When I signed up the first week of January, the average Goodreads member had committed to 85 books.  Well, I figured I should keep with the community, so I committed to 85 books.  Last year, I read 34 books, so 85 is pretty ambitious.    As more and more readers made their commitments, however, the average number kept dropping.  Now it is down to 74.  That's okay--I'm pretty sure I'll make my goal, and probably even beat it.

In the meantime, I am going to write a review for each book I read.  At this writing I have already 9 books, so I have to catch up a bit.  But so far it's been quite a ride.  And away we gooooooo.........

Happy New Year, I Guess

We returned from a three week winter break on January 10.  With that much time off, the kids are full of stories to tell and not really ready to sit for six hours and work.  So I took the opportunity to have "morning meeting" time, where kids tell and listen to stories.  It's great practice for our listening and speaking standards, and it warms up the kids for school.

Anyway, the kids met in groups to select stories that they would tell to the whole class.  Here are three of the winners.

1. Yennifer went to the mountains where it was snowing.  She and her cousins went down a snowy hill on a sled.  As their speed picked up, they noticed an obstacle in their path--a snowman!  They plowed into the snowman, causing internal damage and decapitation.  All humans survived.

2. Jana's uncle died--her mother's brother.  She didn't know him because he lives in Mexico.  Her mother didn't go to the funeral because if she went to Mexico, she wouldn't be able to come back to the United States.

3. Michelle's Christmas Eve was eventful.  A man with a gun ran into the courtyard of their housing complex.  She and her relatives watched from inside their house.  Police came and wrestled the man to the ground.  He dropped his gun.  Helicopters circled the house for the next hour or so.

When we have morning meeting, the stories always go the same way:  airy, humorous stories mixed in with tales from the hood.  After all these years, I shouldn't be surprised.