Our novel competition is heating up! This week we said goodbye to some favorites.The remaining books will face off on Monday. These are four very different books, which makes for an interesting matchup. Here they are: Matilda by Roald Dahl vs. House of Hades by Rick Riordan Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins vs. Walk... Continue Reading →
Novel Madness 2018–ROUND TWO
To find out about this contest in my sixth grade classroom, go here. Here are the results of Round One, paired with their new opponents for Round Two, which takes place tomorrow. Good luck! Matilda by Roald Dahl vs. The Maze Runner by James Dashner Frindle by Andrew Clements vs. House of... Continue Reading →
Novel Madness 2018
Every year in March, to coincide with basketball's March Madness, my sixth graders participate in Novel Madness to choose their favorite novel of all time. They brainstorm their top sixteen favorites, then pair up to create persuasive speeches. Here are this year's top 16: The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate Hunger Games... Continue Reading →
I’ll Give You the Sun
I'll Give You the Sun, by Jandy Nelson, is one of the best magical realism books I've read for Young Adults. It features twins, a boy and a girl, named Noah and Jude. They are coming of age in a world where Jude regularly sees and receives advice from her dead grandmother, and Noah sees... Continue Reading →
Author-go-Round: Tracy Lawson
Hi! I’m Tracy Lawson, and I’m so excited to be featured on Week 2 of this Author Interview-go-Round! I’m the author of Counteract and Resist, the first two volumes of the YA dystopian Resistance Series. Ignite, the third book in the series, is slated for release in summer 2016! Here’s a quick summary of the... Continue Reading →
Neverwhere Book Review
Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman, is a young adult magical realism novel. The main character, Richard Mayhew, struggles with his job and overbearing fiancee--who symbolizes parents/authority. He stops to help an injured girl, Door, and is plunged into a fantasy world underneath London. He follows Door on a quest to discover who killed her family. He... Continue Reading →
Novel Madness FAll 2015 FINALS
I've been remiss in updating this contest! On Monday, September 21, my students voted on the remaining novels. As a result, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and The Hobbit were sent into the finals. Yesterday, the final round of speeches and the final vote took place. This year, the title of favorite novel was... Continue Reading →
Novel Madness 2015 ROUND TWO
Novel Madness is the annual tournament my students conduct to determine their favorite novels of all time. For the beginning of this year's contest, go here. Students tweaked their speeches to reflect their new opponents and delivered them in class. Then everyone voted. The winners of Round Two will match up like this for Monday's... Continue Reading →
Watersmeet
Watersmeet is the first novel in the Watersmeet series by Ellen Jensen Abbott. It is tagged Young Adult, but unlike some of today's YA books this one can be read by younger YA readers. It's about a girl who lives in a land with mythical creatures--including centaurs. You know how I am about horses, centaurs,... Continue Reading →