New Year's Resolution

My friend, Terri, says that she doesn't make New Year's Resolutions, because she can never keeps them. Instead, she makes a list of all of the things she would like to learn, do, or try during the new year. The list has to have as many things as she is years old. I'm not sure I can think of 48 things I want to learn this year, but I can think of one.

 I WANT TO GET MY BLOG UP AND RUNNING!

I want to be able to make posts two or three times a week, and I want, eventually, to be able to post pictures of books, and pictures from my digital camera, when I learn to use it, which is also on my list of things to do in 2008. 

Anyway, here is the first post for January 2008. Some great books I've read in the last month:

• MIRACLE ON 49TH STREET- Mike Lupica

Another great sports story by one of my new favorite writers. A 12 year-old-girl whose mom has recently passed away sets out to meet the father she has never known. The relationship is greatly complicated by the fact that her father is Kirk Cameron, one of the the most famous players in the NBA. 

• THE VERY TALENTED CLEMENTINE- Sara Pennypacker

Third grader Clementine's class is having a talent show. Everyone is supposed to participate, but Clementine doesn't think she has a talent…A great read for friends of Junie B.  and Ramona!

• STANFORD WONG FLUNKS BIG TIME and SO TOTALLY EMILY EBERS- Lisa Yee

As the mom of two very reluctant middle school boy readers, I'm always on the lookout for things I might interest them in reading. Stanford Wong is a middle school basketball star, who fails Language Arts and has to go to summer school, instead of the basketball camp he had planned on attending. A great read- funny, short chapters, but also dealing with some very real middle school issues. I liked STANFORD WONG so much that I went on to read EMILY EBERS, which is about the same three characters (Stanford, Emily, and Millicent Min) during the same summer, but is told by Stanford's new friend, Emily. Emily's mom and dad have just gotten divorced, and Emily and her mom have moved cross country to begin a new life. Again, funny and fun to read, but dealing with divorce, friendship and other very real middle school-ish issues. One of my next reads- MILLICENT MIN GIRL GENIUS

• ELIJAH OF BUXTON- Christopher Paul Curtis

An amazing work of historical fiction by one of my favorite authors. Elijah is the first free child born in Buxton, a town founded by freed slaves just north of the US/Canadian border. Elijah has a friend who is saving money to buy his wife and children out of slavery. When this money is stolen, Elijah and his friend set out to retrieve it. 

• MISS SPITFIRE- Sara Miller

A biograpical novel about Annie Sullivan. Told from Annie's point of view, this novel begins as Annie arrives at the Keller home and meets Helen. She is faced immediately, first with "taming" Helen, who has not been expected to obey adults, follow rules, use table manners, etc., and more importantly, with helping her to understand how language works. An engaging read- perfect for fourth or fifth grade readers. I also thought, several times, about what a great read it would have been for my Language Acquisition classes at UCD! 

• MIDDLE SCHOOL IS WORSE THAN MEATLOAF- Jennifer Holm

A very clever book about one year in the life of a middle schooler, told entirely through artifacts such as notes, report cards, grocery lists, and bank statements.