** Contact us if you would like to have one of our engaging mentor text sessions come to your campus! ** Why I Picked It Up: Two reasons. First, the author is a favorite of mine and my son, he makes both of us giggle as we read. Second, the twins in the book are named […]
teaching theme
Book Review: The Shadows, by Jacqueline West (Series: The Books of Elsewhere)
Why I Picked It Up: Finding strong upper elementary novels can be tricky. I always take time perusing the shelves looking for titles, covers, and teasers (on the back of the book) that would appeal to students in grades 3-5. On one of my countless hours in Barnes & Nobel, I spotted this book. The […]
Book Review: Capture the Flag, by Kate Messner
Why I Picked It Up: This book was one of Jessica’s picks on our Summer Reading List. The historical connections with the flag that inspired our national anthem appealed to my love of historical fiction, and the mystery-loving part of me was intrigued by the maze created out of the flag on the cover. Finding […]
Book Review: Buzz Kill by Beth Fantaskey
Why I Picked It Up: Buzz Kill is one of the books on the 2015 Lone Star List. In preparation for another successful Battle of the Books, I am beginning to read the chosen texts. I should probably start with the ones that don’t necessarily speak to me, but I’m not there in my personal […]
Book Review: Port Chicago 50 by Steve Sheinkin
Why I Picked It Up: There were several things that came together to confirm that I’d made a good choice when I picked up this book. I found out about it during a session at the recent Texas Council for Teachers of English Language Arts and Reading (TCTELA) conference about non-fiction. The cover flashed up on the […]