Set in 19th Century England, The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall by Mary Downing Hahn is spooky from the first few pages!

Florence is an orphan living in an orphanage when she learns that a long-lost uncle has sent for her.  It is on a dark, stormy night that she first sees her uncle’s creepy looking old house.

Florence is at first excited to be living at Crutchfield Hall, but she quickly learns that not everyone there feels the same way about her.  Living in the house are Florence’s uncle, angry aunt, a cousin, and . . . a ghost.

This is a ghost story for anyone who enjoys being spooked a little bit!

If you have a favorite spooky book, post it below!

Itch

Okay.  I have to admit it.  The combination of the cover art and the title of this book is what grabbed my attention.  I mean, why in the world would a book be called Itch?

This is yet another historical fiction novel -- they seemed to really grab my attention this summer.  Set in 1968, the main character (Itch) and her grandmother move from Florida to Ohio after Itch’s grandfather dies.

Moving to a new school is hard and Itch, with her Florida accident and no parents, feels like an outsider, until she becomes friends with the popular, baton-twirling Gwendolyn.  On the outside, Gwendolyn seems perfect, but Itch begins to realize that Gwendolyn is hiding a deep, dark secret.

Once Itch discovers what the secret is, Itch needs to make a very grown up decision, and as Gramps always told Itch, “Speaking up takes courage.”  

I would highly recommend this realistic, historical fiction book for fifth grade students and up.  Teachers would also really enjoy this coming-of-age novel.  Read Itch by Michelle D. Kwasney.

Turtle In Paradise

While recovering from having my tonsils taken out, I read a lot of books.  One I really enjoyed was Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm.  If her name is familiar to you, it's probably because she is also the author of the Babymouse books.

Turtle in Paradise, however, is not a graphic novel.

A 2011 Newbery Honor book, this is a historical fiction novel set in the Florida Keys during the Great Depression of the 1930s.  Eleven-year-old Turtle is sent to the Florida Keys to live with her aunt and her cousins when her mother takes a job as a housekeeper for a woman who won't allow children in her home. It's the Great Depression, so Turtle's mother needs to take whatever work she can get, even if it means being away from her only child.

This book is full of kids with goofy nicknames (you noticed the main character's name is Turtle, right?), a treasure hunt, a hurricane, a famous writer, and a twist ending that may just leave you a bit heart-broken.

I read this book in an evening because I simply couldn't put it down.  (Okay, okay, I admit, it kept me up WAY past my bedtime, but it was worth it.)

I would recommend this book to students in fourth grade and up.  Grown ups would also enjoy this quick read!

Annual YES DAY!

We had our annual "Yes Day" at our house today.  We actually got this idea after reading the book Yes Day by Amy Krouse Rosenthal.  In the story, regardless of what a young boy asks his parents, their answer is yes.  After reading the book to my own children, we decided to try it.  It was so much fun, it has become an annual event!

When I tell people about this tradition, I always get asked how it really works.  We have a couple of rules.  It has to be safe, and I always put a dollar amount on the day.  This keeps my kids from saying they want to go to Disney World for the day!

It is such a window into your children's souls to find out what they would do if they could do anything.  This year, my son wanted pizza for breakfast.  Then, we headed to the Appleton Children's Museum.  After a few hours, we headed to Chuck E. Cheese to use up the 60 game tokens we had in our kitchen drawer.  Then, it was home for lunch where the kids wanted cookies first and then quesadillas.  The kids each got a new toy (within our budget), rented some movies for the night, and decided on mashed potatoes for supper.  Their final request of the day . . . to stay up as long as they wanted.  My answer was of course, "yes!"

What a fun day, but I'll be glad when I can pull out the word "no" again tomorrow!

I encourage you to try yes day with your family!

Little Blog on the Prairie

I recently finished reading Little Blog on the Prairie.  What a fun read!  Having grown up reading the Little House book series by Laura Ingalls Wilder and even watching the television program with Michael Landon, the title of this book instantly caught my attention.

Gen is a typical middle school girl who lives with both of her parents and her younger brother.  When Gen's mother announces that their summer vacation will be spent at a pioneer fantasy camp instead of some place like Club Med, Gen is horrified, wondering what in the world her mother was thinking.

At this "frontier fantasy camp," families live in tiny cabins for two months just like it is 1890.  That means baths once a week, no dishwashers (unless you count your own hands, no electricity, hauling water, and certainly no electronics.
Gen, however, sneaks in her cell phone.  Through a series of texts to her best friends back home, Gen ends up unknowingly creating one of the most followed and popular blogs in the United States.

Funny, charming, and a quick read, I would recommend this book to fifth grade students and up.  Adults who grew up with the Little House series will also find this a welcome read.
Happy Reading!

ISTE 2011 Conference in Philadelphia, PA

I am currently in Philly, PA with Mrs. Lennon, Mr. Johnson, and several other NJSD teachers and principals at an international technology conference.  Mrs. Lennon and I are pumped full of energy and enthusiasm for this upcoming school year and the new technologies we are going to show to staff and students.

Can't wait until September to learn about a cool new web 2.0 tool?  Comment here and I'll give you a sneak peek!

RO/ACE Students: What are you reading?

What are you reading right now? Let's start by simply sharing the title and author of the book or books you are currently reading.