Book Review: Brazen and the Beast by Sarah MacLean

Brazen and the Beast by Sarah MacLean
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a wonderful book. The characters were really great. The hero was likable and well developed. I especially liked the heroine in the book. She was sassy, strong, and sure of who she was the whole time. The overall story of this series is building is very interesting and well done. They were an interesting couple and I really enjoyed how their story developed. I am looking forward to the next book in this series.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: The Word Collector

The Word Collector by Peter H. Reynolds
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is such a sweet picture book. It is a fantastic addition to any child's library. The book is about a little boy who collects words. Words he sees, hears, etc. This book would also make a great read aloud in school. Picture books are gaining popularity as teaching tools in middle and high schools (which I love) and I think this would be great for all grades.

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Review: Lucy Maud Montgomery

Lucy Maud Montgomery by Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is adorable. It is a great children's book. It tells the story of L.M. Montgomery and how she became a writer. I like the illistrations and the story. I will be looking at the other books in this series.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley to review.

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Reading in my classroom

As an English teacher, I feel reading is very important. I also believe students should be allowed to select what they read. I do assign a few books for them to read, so we can learn specific skills or have discussions. But I let student pick most of thier books. I have a large classroom library and am constantly bringing in more books. I do not believe it is a teacher's duty to spend their own money to do this if they don't want to. While I do buy many of the books in my library, I also have an amazing Media Specialist who gives me books she takes out circulation. I also do get some donations from parents, which is always greatly appreciated. But I have seen more students fall back in love with reading and that is becuase I gave them time, book recommendations, and choice. I also model the behaviour I want to see. My students know I'm a reader and am always ready to discuss what they are reading or help them find a book. I am hopeful since I am seeing a trend in supporting student selected books and how important that is.

Review: We're All Wonders

We're All Wonders by R.J. Palacio
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a great children's picture book. I love the message it sends and the illistrations are really beautiful.

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Review: Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History

Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History by Erik Larson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a very interesting book. I had never heard of this incident and found the history at the time very interesting. I enjoyed the writer's style and how he described the situation and the people invovled. There are a lot of people invovled in the story so keeping up with who was who was a slight struggle sometimes. I thought it was well paced and kept my interested. I listened to this on audiobook and enjoyed the narrator very much.

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Review: March: Book One

March: Book One by John Lewis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a great graphic novel. I loved how John Lewis tells his story and how the book is put together. I also like how it is split up into three volumes. This is a great look into the civil rights movement and how people where apart of it.

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Review: Complete Guide to Bible Journaling: Creative Techniques to Express Your Faith

Complete Guide to Bible Journaling: Creative Techniques to Express Your Faith by Joanne Fink
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This isn't a bad resource if you are very new to this. It goes over some basics on materials and ways to do the Bible journaling. But I would have liked some more detail in the techniques. I did enjoy the stories about the different artsts and the examples it does give. So it does give you a place to start from. I did like the resources in the back that can be traced, glued in, and stickers. It wouldn't be a great read for people who are already doing this. But if you are really new this isn't a bad starting point.

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Review: Green River Killer

Green River Killer by Jeff Jensen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a very interesting graphic novel. It looks more at the detectives then the actually details of the case, which I liked. It gave you a different perspective on the case then is usually taken. It is done in black and white panels which at first I wasn't sure if I liked, but it really fits the story the author is telling and I think it works really great. The story is also not told in a linear fashion. It jumps back and forth in time which works really well for how he tells the story. I did not find it distracting or confusing. It is clearly marked and is easy to follow. I highly recommend this for fans of true crime documentaries or just have any interest int his topic.

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Review: Reading Nonfiction: Notice & Note Stances, Signposts, and Strategies

Reading Nonfiction: Notice & Note Stances, Signposts, and Strategies by Kylene Beers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Took the time to finish this book up today. I love using the signposts in my classroom and this book sets them up so well. I love the explaination and the lessons they provide you could use if you wanted. The authors really lay out everything you would need from lessons to handouts to videos examples to fix up strategies. I appriciate the student responses they provide and how they show you that you can tailor this to elementary, middle, and high school. I really like how they show you how to make the signposts really work for high school teachers by giving examples of how disciplines would change them to fit their content. This is a really great teacher resource!!!

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