New Leaf in Learning Conference, 2012 (NLIL12) part 1

Where has the time gone?  How is it even possible I have not added a new entry since November!  Yikes...

That is going to change starting today!

First things first...I just got back from an AWESOME conference!  New Leaf in Learning is put together by Follett.  I am still mulling over all the great ideas, but I will start with this:

There are so many things I felt validated on as well as ideas I totally want to put into action!  The wordle is a picture of what my brain feels like right now!! :-) 

Eliot Rosewater books: A Few Book Trailers

Here are just a couple of book trailers for this year's Eliot Rosewater nominees.  Have you read either of these books?  What did you think??





The Maze Runner by James Dashner





The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Hunger Games!!!

If you haven't read the Hunger Games series, you are missing out!  Check out the trailer for the movie coming out March 2012:

EduBlogs - 10 Favorite Activities

I LOVE EduBlogs!!  I used this with my fifth grade students when I was in the classroom.  The thing I loved the most is that I can have my blog with activities, directions, and class news while my students were able to have their own blogs to do activity responses, share books, and more.  I would love to use this again with maybe my book club or help another teacher start one with his/her class.

Check out Edublogger's list of the 10 favorite activities from their Student Blogging challenges.

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

The Gist:  Rory Deveaux, fresh off the plane from Louisiana and on her way to boarding school, finds London caught up in a Jack the Ripper copycat slaying.  All that Rory wants to do it learn how to fit in and maybe catch the eye of a cute guy.  Instead, life gets more complicated as she becomes the only witness to the latest murder.

Opinion if you Please:  First thing I have to say...I wish our cover was more like the UK cover!  When I picked up the book, I thought I was going to be reading a historical fiction novel maybe with something supernatural. I was right about the supernatural part, but this story takes place in modern day London with Rory arriving at boarding school the same day a Jack the Ripper copycat begins his killing spree.  As a young adult librarian, I want books my students will pick up and give a chance.  The title and US cover appeal to a certain demographic...the UK cover mentions Jack the Ripper...now you've got our attention!

Ok...two words....PAGE TURNER!  I thought I would give this book a try then go about my normal day.  Next thing I know, I'm late to meet my friend.  There is something intriguing about Rory with her southern, Louisiana background adjusting to life with her fellow classmates.  There is a touch of romance that, as a girl, I wish was developed more.  The good news is that guys who avoid romances can still enjoy this story. LOL  The Rippermania is also interesting.  People literally waiting around to witness the next slaying, feeling guilty that someone is about to die BUT wanting to be part of it.  Maureen Johnson has done a great job of spinning a story that will keep you guessing until the end

Extra, Extra!

This is the first in The Shades of London series.  Stay tuned for the 2nd book, The Madness Underneath...unfortunately, it may be quite awhile as book one just came out in Septmember.  The good news, while the book ends with the possibilities of Rory's future, you are not left hanging in suspense.

Author's Blog

Author's Webpage

Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

The Gist:  For the first time in 592 years, Lenah is able to experience human emotions, feel textures, and bathe in the sunlight.  Rhode, her beloved, sacrificed himself so that she could be human again.  Immersing herself in a normal 16 year-old's life, she attends school, becomes friends with Tony, and discovers it is possible to love again when Tyler helps her to feel fully alive again.

Everything would be perfect if it weren't for one tiny problem: the coven she created with the most evil intentions will never let her go.  They want their queen back, and no one can stop them.

Opinion if you Please:  I'm giving this book 4 stars.

A vampire book with a twist!  Rather than the human pining to become a vampire and live out their eternal life with their loved one, here we have Lenah willing to risk it all to become human again.  Complete with flashbacks to her long life as a vampire, we get a taste of what her vampire life was like while understanding what it means to truly feel, both emotionally and physically, again. 

At times I wished there was a little more drama or at least that things didn't just seem to work out so easily, a lot happens with more to come in the sequel!  You know I am a sucker for a sequel!!

Extras:

Series: Vampire Queen (book two: Stolen Nights release date pushed back to June 2012)

Author's Blog

Author's Website...albeit not much there at the moment

Pop by Gordon Korman

The Gist:  Marcus Jordan, new kid in town, finds a football drilling buddy in a middle-aged man, Charlie, who just shows up and disappears with no explanation.  Despite the man's odd behavior, Marcus soon finds himself a starting position on a team seeking their second straight perfect season thanks to what he has learned.

Charlie's full-blast tackles may set Marcus' head ringing, but he is learning to be the best football player that he can be. There's just one problem...or two...or three: Charlie gets him in trouble with the law, Charlie is the father of Marcus' arch enemy, and Charlie's family has a secret. 

Opinion if you Please:  I'm giving this book 3.5 stars.

This book is SO MUCH MORE than a kid fighting for a starting position on a top-notch football team.  There are definitely moments where I felt like this was beyond reality (Shop owners really allow Charlie to walk in and back out with stuff and not at least stop at the counter to tally up what he owes?? No one catches Marcus or Charlie "sugaring" the exterminator shop??). 

I didn't think I would love this book, but after finishing it in one sitting...you could say it drew me in!  Without giving away too much, there was one unexpected, emotional moment that caught me off guard.  Any book that can bring out an emotional response (whether that be anger, utter joy, despair, etc), earns a thumbs up from me.

Extras:

Read the first chapter

Author's Website