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48 Hour Book Challenge Half Way

June 5, 2011 in Reading by Roberta | 1 comment

As the half-way mark slid by in the 48 Hour Book Challenge, I have managed to read for 8 hours.

Saturday morning I finished The Iron Butterfly: Memoir of a Martial Arts Master by Choon-Ok Harmon with Ana Maria Rodriguez.  This unique memoir is by a woman who, against great odds, became a master of the Korean martial art, Kuk Sool Won. Born during the economic turmoil of post-war Korea, Choon-Ok survived an impoverished childhood where her family had to scrounge for food to have one meager meal per day. She was not allowed to attend school because her family had no money to pay the fees. When her family moved to the city, she wanted to study martial arts. She had an opportunity to learn when her sister married Chief Master of a school. Eventually she came to the United States via an arranged marriage to an American who studied the same form of martial arts. Yes, the two of them corresponded by mail and had only met once before they were married!

Interesting contrast to the book MotherReader read, Bitter Melon. Hope Iron Butterfly doesn’t get lost in the whole Tiger Mother thing.

I read aloud to my son from Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods, (selecting leaving a few of the “juicier” parts out).

Saturday afternoon, I plowed through Rudolfo Anaya’s Bless Me, Ultima. This books is assigned summer reading for our local high school’s honors freshman English class. I’m still processing it.

Then last night, my son and I read a book about cacti for an upcoming science club meeting.

I was thinking that writing might be more cathartic than reading, but sometimes there’s nothing like getting caught up in a good book. What do you think?

Iron Butterfly
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Pelican Publishing (February 8, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9781589808904
ISBN-13: 978-1589808904



Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Warner Books (April 1, 1999)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446675369
ASIN: B000LP674W

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48 Hour Book Challenge Begins

June 3, 2011 in Reading by Roberta | 8 comments

Due to an unexpected and very sorrowful event yesterday, I almost decided not to participate in this weekend’s 48 Hour Book Challenge at MotherReader blog. I have decided to go ahead, but with a heavy heart.

I will start with The Iron Butterfly: Memoir of a Martial Arts Master by Choon-Ok Jade Harmon with Ana María Rodríguez, because it is about a woman who overcame a great deal of adversity.

I will be starting in a few minutes at 7:00 p.m. MST.

Good luck to everyone.

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One Week Until 48 Hour Book Challenge

May 27, 2011 in Reading by Roberta | No comments

Are you ready to rumbl…I mean read?

The sixth annual 48 Hour Book Challenge starts next Friday, June 3, 2011 at MotherReader blog and the excitement is palpable. Grab all those books you have been meaning to read, from chapter books on up, and during 48 hours (of your choice) between 7:00 a.m Friday June 3rd and 7:00 a.m. Monday June 6, 2011 read like crazy. The goal is to read and blog about the books for at least 12 hours, but you can skip the showers, live on coffee and stale cookies, and go the full 48 hours if you want.

I heard about this last year, but was flying across country the scheduled weekend and knew it would be too much. This year I have my books neatly piled and the grocery list reads: four quarts of chocolate milk (sigh, soy because I’m lactose intolerant).

My picks:

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexi, young adult

(Yes, I’m probably the last person on the planet to read it. )

Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya, adult? fiction – I have to check that

(Required reading for incoming freshman taking honors English at our local high school. I have never read such funny negative reviews as well as eloquent positive ones as this book as gotten. My interest is piqued. )

The Iron Butterfly:  Memoir of a Martial Arts Master Choon-Ok Jade Harmon with Ana María Rodríguez, adult

Redwall by Brian Jacques, Book 1, young adult

(I noticed someone had read this last year for the challenge, and remembered I had picked up a used copy that I had never read.)

Have you read any of these books? Do you think they will they keep me going for at least 18 hours, my goal?

Are you going to participate? I’d love to hear what you are reading, and also what snacks and drinks you will have on hand. I am open to ideas :-)

If you do decide to take part, be sure to stop by MotherReader blog for the full details and to sign up.

Join the fun! Learn about new books!

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How Do You Hug a Porcupine: Coming to a Cereal Box Near You

April 5, 2011 in Picture book- fiction, Reading by Roberta | 3 comments

What kind of prize do you usually expect to find in your cereal box? A cheap toy? The latest movie tie-in? If you look in a Cheerios® box this spring, the surprise might be the book How Do You Hug a Porcupine? by Laurie Isop and illustrated by Gwen Millward.

First-time children’s author Laurie Isop won the 2009 Cheerios® Spoonfuls of Stories New Author Contest®,which I wrote about last week. Now her book is being published by Simon & Schuster and distributed for free in some six million Cheerios® cereal boxes. How cool is that?

How Do You Hug a Porcupine? has a gently humorous, rhyming text that is sure to be a bedtime reading hit. We see children hugging all sorts of animals, but one boy asks, “How do you hug a porcupine?” Probably more than a few parents will be warmed by the similarity to hugging their own sometimes prickly child.

The illustrations are adorable, and child friendly. Isop was paired with veteran illustrator Gwen Millward, who was not part of the contest.

The books in the cereal boxes are special in that they are small paperbacks, about five inches by seven inches. That is a perfect size to slip in a purse or backpack for those moments when you are caught waiting somewhere (think doctor’s office). The cereal box versions have both English and Spanish text.

Don’t worry if you can’t find a copy of How Do You Hug a Porcupine? in the grocery store. You can also buy a hardcover copy from Simon & Schuster starting in July.

Kudos to Cheerios® and congratulations to Laurie Isop.

See what icon Jon Scieszka has to say about the program:

If you are interested in learning more about porcupines through nonfiction, check my review Porcupines from Two Points of View.

Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing (July 26, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1442412917
ISBN-13: 978-1442412910

This book was provided for review purposes.

And be sure to look for more information about children’s books at today’s  Book Talk Tuesday.

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Share A Story 2.0

March 10, 2011 in Reading by Roberta | 2 comments

Have you visited the Share A Story- Shape a Future website yet? Be sure to check the Read Aloud Resources for lists of engaging books to read with children. Did you know yesterday was World Read Aloud Day? Let’s make every day Read Aloud Day!

Today’s topic is Literacy 2.0. The main blog carnival is hosted at There’s a Book with Literacy 2.0 – Taking the Gift of Literacy Into the Future. What is the future of literacy with the recent additions of videos, e-books, and apps? Danielle Smith has gathered some very thought-provoking posts on the topic. Seems many people are deciding that all these innovations are adding new tools to the literacy toolbox rather than taking away attention from the good old book. Novel ways to explore literacy are helpful for children (and adults) with diverse learning styles and/or special needs, as well as being just plain fun.

What is your favorite “way” to share literacy with kids?

I actually love to share literacy with children in a variety of ways. First we read a book together. It can be fiction or nonfiction. I like to read the story aloud to engage the auditory learners and show the pictures/text for the visual learners.

Then it’s time to draw in those tactile/kinesthetic learners with a related hands-on activity. Although the feel of the book, the paper and the physical act of turning the pages can occupy a kinesthetic learner, doing an activity that relates to the book really cements learning and adds enjoyment.

For example, for a recent post, I suggested using Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat: Ella Fitzgerald by Roxane Orgill as a jumping off point to many discoveries.

  • Play some of Ella Fitzgerald’s music.
  • Learn one of the dances from the depression era.
  • Explore the clothes of the time by looking at photographs and then design your own clothes.
  • Make up your own songs and sing them.
  • Use some of those fun words like skit and skat in a poem.

Okay, I think you get the idea.

All of these ways to share a book are possible with apps and e-books as well as with a regular books. The most important ingredient is you taking the time to interact with the child(ren) in a meaningful way.

What do you think of the future of literacy? What is your favorite way to share a book?

Edit:  Just found this story about Cushing Academy in Boston that is getting rid of all its books and going completely electronic. What do you think?

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