I know it's already May and I'm just doing a recap of April, but this year has been a little extra crazy! I have not been doing a great job at keeping up with my blog this year.
Reading on the Hillside
The life of a school librarian, passionate about collaboration and a flexible schedule in a school library.
Tuesday, May 9, 2023
April Recap from the Library
Saturday, March 18, 2023
Favorite Middle Grade / YA Books of 2022
Ground Zero by Alan Gratz
Alan Gratz has done it again you guys! This book is amazing, and I purchased two copies for my middle school library. In typical Alan Gratz style, the story is told in two perspectives.
The Companion by Katie Alender
The Last Cuentista
I cannot say enough about this book!! First off, THAT COVER : it is amazingly beautiful.Starfish
In this novel in verse, Ellie has been fat-shamed and bullied all her life. Her safe place is the pool, floating, weightless. Her best friend has moved away, but then a new girl moves in next door who befriends Ellie. With her new friend and through her therapist, Ellie learns to stand up for herself and love herself as she is.Strong as Fire, Fierce as Flame
Set in 1857, Meera has her future planned out for her, including who she will marry. The night before her 13th birthday, as she prepares to move in with her husband, British soldiers destroy a village in Delhi. In the attack, Meera's husband is killed. Following an old religious tradition, Meera's father insists she ends her life by throwing herself onto her husband's funeral pyre. Meera escapes her family, running away. Her newfound freedom is short as she is captured by a British commander and forced to be a servant for his wife. While working for the commander's family, she finds out some secrets that will bring down the army. Will she face the fire and write her own destiny?Queen of Ruin
This one is actually the second book in a duology about girl power and sisterhood. Naomi and Serina are attempting to lead the women of Mount Ruin to freedom after being banished there by the evil Asa. Both sisters grow stronger in the book and truly find their inner strength.
Thirst
Shape of Thunder
Other than the time travel concept, the characters are done really well! I wish a little more info had been given about Cora's mom. The relationship between the two girls and how it ties into the school shooting is written very well.
Highly recommend for 5th - 7th graders, but be sure they understand the school shooting concept and can handle reading about death and grief.
Blackbird Girls
Alone
This book was unique: survival story, dysptopian, and novel in verse. Three things you don't usually see put together.I really enjoyed this story of survival and the author's writing is beautiful. Being a novel in verse makes it a faster read, but the poetic devices the author uses builds the story and setting.
The biggest mark down, and which I almost even gave it 3 instead of 4, is that the conflict is not built up or even well explained. There has been an emergency evacuation of the entire western side of the US, but no reason is given. Is this taking place in the future, has a different government taken over? More explanation is really needed.
Some have marked this as a children's book, it is absolutely not. 6th or 7th grade and up only. I would not have this for 4th/5th graders due to a descriptive animal cruelty scene, among other details.
Rivals
Americans Royals book number 3!!! I love this series so much, and I have had great conversations with my students about this series. There was a 7th grade male student my first year as a middle school librarian that introduced me to this series; he loved reading romance books. We had our own little lunch time book club where we would discuss this book. I wish I knew what school he was at now so we could discuss the second and third book in the series.Gallant
Olivia has grown up in an orphanage, but then receives a letter to come home to a family she has never known existed. She arrives at Gallant and immediately knows something is off. Her cousin wants her to leave and she begins seeing ghouls. Olivia sets out to solve the mystery of Gallant.Thursday, February 16, 2023
How to Set up Speed Dating with a Book
Speed Dating with Books
Gather the books
Make table signs
Set up the Tables
- Can't Take my Eyes off You by Frankie Valli
- God Only Knows by The Beach Boys
- Be My Baby by The Ronettes
- My Girl by The Temptations
- One Fine Day by The Chiffons
- Earth Angel by The Penguins
- These Arms of Mine by Otis Redding
- Close to You by The Carpenters
- And I Love Her by The Beatles
- Sugar, Sugar by The Archies
- Happy Together by The Turtles
- Don't Worry Baby by The Beach Boys
The Big Event
The students always get so excited when they enter the library and see the tables all decorated. I have them choose a table, limiting how many people can be at each table. I have these instructions on the big screen.- Choose a table.
- When time starts, look through the books, but not reading yet. Be sure to not leave out any books at the table.
- You will have about 3 - 4 mintues. Pick up a book that looks interesting. Read the summary on the book jacket or back. Read the first page. You have a short amount of time to get to know your book.
- If you like your book "date", keep it with you. You are still going to explore the books at other tables.
- If you decide later during the activity that you don't want that book "date", place it back on the table where you found it.
- When the music stops, switch tables, and REPEAT!
Wednesday, February 8, 2023
January Recap
Favorite book of 2022
Professional Development Days
Fun in the Library
January Statistics
Building Arguments with 8th Grade
8th grade will be starting the Persuasive writing unit soon, so the teachers approached me about reviewing the databases the students will be using. I decided to use Gale Opposing Viewpoints to practice building an argument.
Group work
Conversations
Tuesday, October 4, 2022
Freedom to Read Stations
The month of September I like to celebrate Banned Books Week. I feel like this year was more important that ever with the amount of book challenges we have seen in our state. Thankfully, we have a district that follows policy and has a committee decide instead of just pulling books.
I wanted the students to understand what was going on with the book challenges. Most of the time, this encourages them to read. When they find out adults are trying to take books away, they want to read them. You would think adults would figure that out by now.
Banned Books Week Stations
Station 1
Station 2
Station 3
Our Banned Books Weeks display |
FREADOM bulletin board outside the library. |
Saturday, August 27, 2022
Citations and Curation
The past two weeks have been fun, seeing all of 7th grade and all of 8th grade English classes. Collaborating with the teachers is a favorite part of my job!
Digital Book Portfolios
Next, we learned what to include in a good book review.
Coming up with creative titles for their book portfolio sites. |