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    The Dead Moms Club

      Ok, so I know this is supposed to be a blog about books to read to your kids, but, I’m sure you read, too.  I pre-ordered this book back in September.  It is written by the very talented Kate Spencer.  I knew her mom (the dead mom of which she writes) and her dad.  I loved her mom, and miss her.  I always say if you read a book and you cant put it down (no matter the subject matter), then it is a success.  This was a tough read for me, but I couldn’t put it down (success!).  While I knew some of the details of Martha’s illness,…

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    Overwhelmed?

    Everytime I go on Instagram (readingtoyourkids – follow me!), I get overwhelmed by how little I think I am doing.  There are pictures of books that I want to read.  I think “ooh, let’s put this one on our list.”  And, then I see another one that looks good.  It’s overwhelming.  I need to keep to our already several lists of what we want to read.  We are trying to get through as many as we can from the Gilmore Girls list https://www.buzzfeed.com/krystieyandoli/all-339-books-referenced-in-gilmore-girls?utm_term=.rrEQYKX5za#.ltmM6Dd8JX).  We also have the books from The Reading Promise.  And, we try to read as many Nutmeg (http://www.nutmegaward.org/) nominees as possible so that we can vote for…

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    The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

    This is the third time I am reading this book.  I read it the first time to make sure it was appropriate to read with my daughter.  It was.  But there is some bad language in it – be warned.  And it is about the Holocaust, which in any situation, is simply horrible.  Make sure your child is old enough to handle the subject matter and any discussions that may come from it.  My daughter and I both loved this book.  It is so beautifully written.  The characters are extraordinary.  I highly recommend reading this book aloud with your child. My son and I are reading this book now, and…

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    When Charlie McButton Lost Power

    We had quite a bit of wind and rain yesterday.  There were some power outages.  What better book to read to your kids than When Charlie McButton Lost Power by Suzanne Collins, illustrated by Mike Lester.  We loved this book when the kids were little.  It might help in this technology filled world to realize that the most fun can be had with your brothers or sisters playing with things around the house.  And, surprisingly, the kids will survive without technology. Happy Reading!

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    Inside Out & Back Again

    The Nutmeg nominees continue. . . Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai is the story of Ha.  She is 10 years old when her family has to leave Saigon.  They are headed toward America and perhaps a better life.  But, they have left behind all that they know to go to a strange land, strange people, strange food, strange language.  Ha and her brothers have a long year of change, dreaming, grieving, and discovering.  I tell my children this many times, and the many of the books we read have the same message.  You never know what is going on in someone else’s head.  This is true of…

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    Because of Mr. Terupt

    My daughter found the list of Nutmeg Books nominated for 2014.  The Candymakers by Wendy Mass is one of the nominees (http://blog.thehappyreaders.com/the-candymakers/).  She loved The Candymakers so much that she wants it to win.  She came home one day and told me that she wants to read all the nominees so she can vote for The Candymakers.  And, so, we have begun reading.  Some of the books she would never pick to read,   but, she said she would do it. First, she decided to get last year’s winner, Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea.  She read it over one weekend.  It is a wonderful story about a 5th…

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    We are doing this!!!

    We are starting with 100 days and see how we do!  I am excited and so are the kids!  I’m currently reading The Wizard of Oz with my daughter.  My son is all about factual books – these days he’s into hawks and eagles.  Imagine how much we will learn!  I’ll keep you posted! GENERATION B <nyt_headline version=”1.0″ type=” “>A Father-Daughter Bond, Page by Page Ryan Collerd for The New York Times <nyt_byline> By MICHAEL WINERIP Published: March 18, 2010 RECOMMEND TWITTER LINKEDIN E-MAIL PRINT <nyt_reprints_form> REPRINTS SHARE <nyt_text><nyt_correction_top>MILLVILLE, N.J. WHEN Jim Brozina’s older daughter, Kathy, was in fourth grade, he was reading Beverly Cleary’s “Dear Mr. Henshaw” to her at…

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    An Oldie but a Goodie

    My daughter and I are always looking for books to read aloud.  I am dreading the day when she doesn’t want me to read to her anymore.  Maybe we’ll be like this father-daughter http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/21/fashion/21GenB.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0.  What an inspiration – and, I bet if I showed this article to my daughter, she would be willing to do it!  I digress. The latest book that we have finished is A Cricket in Times Square by George Selden, drawings by Garth Williams.  I used to read this to my first grade class when I was teaching in NYC – I thought it was appropriate given that we all lived in NYC.  I think what my…

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    Out of my Mind

    Out of my Mind by Sharon Draper is simply amazing.  Melody is 5th grader with cerebral palsy, she cant walk, she can’t talk; but she can certainly think and make herself heard.  I couldn’t stop reading!  Early on, she struggles to communicate with others (although she is communicating with the reader).  Some people, like her parents, are aware that she is trying.  But, others, including doctors and special education teachers, simply think that she is a vegetable.  She finally is able to get a computer that can speak for her.  WOW – what an impression she makes!  Smart, funny, someone that just wants to be normal.  This book is not…

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    E.L. Konigsburg

    I have always heard that an artist’s work becomes much more popular and valuable after the artist has died.  Is that true of writers as well?  E. L. Konigsburg passed away last month.  I had read, probably, one of her books as a child, From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler; my daughter and I read it this year as well (note to self, add to blog).  I had also read The View from Saturday as an adult and again with my daughter (http://blog.thehappyreaders.com/the-view-from-saturday/).  So, when I read her obituary, I realized there were many more books that I had to read. I picked up The Outcasts…