Melissa Parkington's Beautiful, Beautiful Hair

Yesterday, a respected colleague asked me what my favorite read-aloud for teaching character traits was.  I didn't even have to think about it.  By far, my favorite read-aloud for teaching character traits is Melissa Parkington's Beautiful, Beautiful Hair, by Pat Brisson.  In this picture book, the protagonist dislikes being known only as the girl with the beautiful hair.  As she struggles to find some other identity, the reader discovers that Melissa's true beauty lies on the inside, and that she is most beautiful when she donates her hair.  I even gave a copy of this book to one of my nieces after she donated her hair to Locks of Love.

Happy reading,
Christine

Blizzard Books - Reprise

As you snuggle up with your loved ones during winter storms, here is another look at Blizzard Books.  I realized that in the original posts,  I forgot to include the movie Cloud 9 as a winter pick for your 'tweens and teens.  Sorry.  Stay warm.

Monday, January 26, 2015

Blizzard Books

Here are pictures of the pre-blizzard snow this weekend, in Connecticut.

While we prepare for the real snow coming tonight and tomorrow, I thought I would revisit some of my previous blizzard posts:

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Blizzard Books and Movies

As the East Coast braces for a blizzard, I was thinking about some of my favorite wintry tales for young people.  Of course, Snow Day comes to mind, as well as Little House in the Big Woods.  The Twistrose Key is a 2013 release about a frozen realm.  I just picked it up, so I don't know yet if it belongs in the same category as the first two.
Last February, as we braced for a blizzard, I wrote about my favorite winter movies.  I've reposted it below if you're looking to curl up with a dvd tonight.

February 8, 2013

 

A group of childhood friends and I get together every year for a  grown-ups only, no-kids Christmas dinner.  Two years ago, a heated debate broke out over the best movie of all time.  Today, as we brace for the impending blizzard, I was wondering, what are the best winter movies of all time?  Excluding Christmas movies, (it is February, after all) here are some of my top contenders:

 

Groundhog Day

Miracle

The Shining

Dumb and Dumber  (just for the fun of it)

While You Were Sleeping

Beautiful Girls

Mystery, Alaska

and one you can watch  with the kiddies:

Big Miracle

 

YouTube Video

 

 

Happy blizzard reading and stay safe,

Christine

Martin Luther King, Jr.

I hope you had a chance to read Doreen Rappaport's beautiful book, Martin's Big Words this holiday.

Happy reading,
Christine

The Boys in the Boat

I finally finished reading The Boys in the Boat.  It took me so long that I felt like I was in the boat with them!
Honestly, I wasn't crazy about this book to begin with, but who wants to quit on a book about perseverance?  So, I stuck with it and in the end, I'm glad.  It is truly amazing that these boys with the odds stacked so far against them could achieve greatness, or to paraphrase the book, touch the divine.  It also gave me a whole new appreciation for the sport of rowing.  Even though I have a niece and a nephew who row crew, and even though a regatta is truly a thing of beauty, I just never knew all of the pain that went into making something so difficult  look so graceful and effortless.  I also loved the references to other sports figures of the time, like Joe Louis and Seabiscuit.
If you are interested in sports history, or just a classic tale of humility, teamwork and determination you might give this book a try.

Happy reading,
Christine

Wonderful Friends

Sorry for the blog silence.  It has been a crazy couple of months.
A friend texted me this picture and wrote that as soon as she saw it, she thought of me:

It does kind of look like me, - nerdy!
For this friend, and all of our other wonderful "mom" friends, I wanted to share a book pick now that the frenetic pace of preparing for the holidays is behind us.  If you are looking for a quick read and a good laugh about all of the craziness that goes into making the holidays magical, you might enjoy Jen Mann's book, Spending the Holidays with People I Want to Punch in the Throat.  Of all the universal truths articulated in this book, perhaps the one I can best relate to, is thinking you are so organized by Christmas shopping throughout the year, only to forget where you have hidden those gifts come wrapping time in December!

Happy holiday reading,
Christine

Similes and Metaphors in Pop Culture

My students loved this video of similes and metaphors in pop culture.  I hope you do, too.

Happy reading,
Christine

The Canterbury Sisters

Che de Milan is having a tough day.  Shortly after the arrival of her mother's ashes and directive to spread the ashes at Canterbury Cathedral, she receives another note from her long-time boyfriend, dumping her for another woman.  Upset, she decides to go to Canterbury right away, but when her hastily-made travel plans to Canterbury fall apart, she reluctantly joins a walking tour that follows the path of Chaucer's pilgrims.  Like the original pilgrims in Canterbury Tales, the women tell tales of life, love and loss.

Happy reading,
Christine