Started ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY

Gabriel, Skippy, and I finished reading Maniac Magee and started Killing Mr. Griffin.  Gabriel is loving this book and, for the first time since I've known him, he actually is begging me not to stop reading for the day.  He is even threatening to read ahead.  :-)) 

I have stopped reading Texas Curiosities and have relegated it to the bathroom to be read much more slowly.  I am on p 220.  I must say I am enjoying it, quite often laughing out loud, not so much caused by the curiosities themselves, but by the tongue in cheek narrative about them. 



I have now started re-reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor to prepare it for tutoring Gabriel.  Once again, I am falling in love with this book.  I suspect that Gabriel will be learning the realities of Depression era racism right along with Cassie Logan.  This book, especially, should help prepare him for reading To Kill a Mockingbird which he will be reading in school this year.

Finished KILLING MR. GRIFFIN

Have enjoyed reading this book with my students for a long time, but, because of the swearing, I am a bit reluctant to read it with Gabriel--both he and his mom being pretty straight-laced.  But, I think, if I explain that some characters swear, we will not read those words aloud, but we will all see them, and that we can use them as a clue to character...we can get safely on with the story.  Again, it is a cautionary tale, but one which I think all kids entering the age in which they are most vulnerable to crazy ideas suggested by peers should probably experience.



Have just started Texas Curiosities by John Kelso.  It has had me giggling at the coffee table at the Y this morning and occasionally laughing out loud.  The book chronicles silly statuary, restaurants and shops, museums, and other landmarks throughout both small town and big city Texas.  It will probably become a "bathroom" book when Gabriel, Skippy and I have finished reading Maniac Magee so I can prepare the next book we will be reading.  But when I finish Texas Curiosities, I may have to send a copy to friend Sue Rowe who I think will get a hoot out of it.

Finished THIS DAY ALL GODS DIE

Loved this series.  Knowing a Stephen R. Donaldson book is next in my pile I pick it up with some dread, because it is onerous.  For the size of the book, the size of the print, the difficulty of the language, and often the complication of the plot.  This is the fifth and last book in The Gap series.  There are certain things Donaldson can be counted on: complicated, interesting, flawed characters that you can wind up caring about even if they have done terrible, hurtful, evil things; wonderful settings; great plot;, and a satisfying ending.  You cannot count on his keeping all of his wonderful sympathetic character alive or being easy reading.  That said, all of his books that I have read have been engrossing, beautiful, and exciting.



I have now started re-reading Killing Mr. Griffin which I read with my seventh or eighth graders every year for at least twenty years, so I pretty much have it memorized.  But it has been twelve years since I retired and it is the third book I'll be reading with my now seventh grade tutee this summer, Gabriel.  It is an excellent book for teaching drawing conclusions and the story elements.  You can often hear the students draw conclusions throughout the books with their gasps, "uh-oh"s, as well as see it in their expressions.  So much fun.

I started reading The Little Prince with Gabriel and his mom today.  I found it rather boring when I read it to myself, but it was fun with Gabe.  We giggled through the first several chapters.