On a side note....

I promised I would give Type to Learn a try this summer and I have. Just completed level 9 (89% accuracy; 21 words per minute). Goal is to get to lesson 20 by the time school starts. 

Saturday Reads

Yesterday was a beautiful day and I spent more time at the beach than I have all summer. Time at the beach means a book in my hands (or this case, two books).

The Mozart Question by Michael Morpurgo is about a young reporter who is sent to interview a famous violinist in Venice. Her orders are simple - take copious notes (no recording devices allowed) and don't ask the Mozart question. While the reporter knew much about the musician, she didn't know what the Mozart question was; upon meeting the violinist she is quite nervous and tells him all she knows about him and that she's not supposed to ask the Mozart question (admitting she has no idea what that is). What follows is a beautiful but painful story about Nazi Germany and how music saved some but not all. Well worth an afternoon.

From World War II we go to the war in Afghanistan. Shadow, also by Michael Morpurgo tells the story of Aman and his mother and their flight from their war torn country to England where they seek political asylum. While told from three perspectives: Matt (Aman's best friend from England); Matt's grandfather and Aman - it is really a story about a boy, his mom and the dog that saved them. 

A Bunch of Books....

I've been busy training Fitz but have still found plenty of time to read. I'm almost done with the Nutmegs and have read a few "off list" books, too. 

To make things a bit simpler (and easier for me) I'm going to give a quick recap and then rate the book using paws. Four paws means I loved it.; fewer than that, well.....I didn't like it as much. 

A solid mystery, Nutmeg nominee Closed for the Season tells the story of two boys who are trying to answer a simple question: was the previous owner of Logan's house pushed down the stairs or did she slip? And where is all that money everyone is talking about?

If you are in 5th grade and liked Diary of a Wimpy Kid, try The Last Invisible Boy. The content is a bit heavy - Finn's dad has died suddenly and this is Finn's poignant but humorous story of how he deals with the loss.

Nutmeg nominee Mike Stellar is what I might refer to as fantasy lite.  Mike is told just 8 hours before departure that he's traveling to Mars with his parents. What follows is a fun adventure as good battles evil. 

This a second go round for me with Nutmeg nominee Out of My Mind. I forgot how good it was. Read this book and then ask yourself what character you are; what character would you like to be; ask yourself if you have what it takes to be a friend to someone who isn't like you. I've been asking myself those same questions since I finished the book.

Nutmeg nominee, Wildfire Run, is the story of the president's son and his friends who get caught in a wild fire that envelopes the area around Camp David, the presidential retreat. An adventure story, there is nothing plausible about Wildfire Run but it's fun to spend some time with kids who are rather creative problem solvers.

In Nutmeg nominee, Wild Girl, Patricia Reilly Giff has written a wonderful story about horses and young girls and what it's like to be moved from the comfortable to the uncomfortable and what it takes to regain your footing. A wonderful read.

Another Nutmeg nominee, The Candymakers is just plain fun. The story, told from four perspectives - kids involved in a candy making contest, is a both a mystery and a story of friendship.

 When Thea is sent to New Jersey for the summer her mother gives her a notebook to write 100 Truths. It seems Thea has a bit of a problem with telling lies. Much to her chagrin, she is saddled with babysitting her seven year old cousin most afternoons; and all she wants to do is spy. Thea spends the summer answering the questions: Is it ever okay to lie? Does telling the truth always have to hurt? 

A handful of kids mentioned Glory Be to me as school was ending - they loved it and having just finished it, I couldn't agree more. It's not an easy story to read - reliving how African Americans were treated in the early 1960s is never pleasant but you couldn't ask for a better hero than Glory. Spend some time with Glory and Emma and Miss B - you won't be disappointed.

I'm Reading...Are You?

Despite breaking in a new puppy (see below), I have managed to get some reading done. My first two books of the summer are Nutmeg nominees: The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman and Saving Armpit.

Before school got out there was some buzz amongst fifth graders about Fingertips and I have to say - the buzz was worthy. The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman follows three pairs of kids who are training for the youth scrabble tournament in Yakamee, Florida. The kids are as different as could be and come from different parts of the country (Pennsylvania, Oregon and New York City) yet they find each other in Florida and despite the differences forge friendships. While Duncan (and his magical fingertips) would be considered the main character, the other characters are equally engaging. The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman is worth the time (plus you'll gain some valuable hints on how to play Scrabble and Words with Friends). 

Saving Armpit is a delightful story and because it's delightful I forgive the author for making errors in her baseball descriptions. Saving Arm Pit takes place in Canada and tells the story of how a group of kids comes together to try and reclaim the glory of their hometown - Harmony Point, from the bigger, more modern, more athletic city next door.

Fitz (named after Louise Fitzhugh, author of Harriet the Spy)