Top Ten Tuesday – Page 10 – Unleashing Readers

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten ALL TIME Favorite Sci-Fi Books

September 13, 2016 by Ricki

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. The feature was created because The Broke and Bookish are particularly fond of lists (as are we!). Each week a new Top Ten list topic is given and bloggers can participate.

Today’s Topic: Ten ALL TIME Favorite Sci-Fi Books

Ricki

I am not a crazy avid sci fi reader. I read maybe 15 science fiction books per year because there are other genres I simply enjoy more. That said, these books are among my favorites of all time (of any genre!).

1. 1984 by George Orwell

I absolutely loved teaching this book. I requested that my department order it because I knew it would be fantastic for discussions. To this day (four years after I finished teaching high school), students still email me about it!

2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I know. It’s a predictable book on the list, but I would be remiss if I didn’t include it. This series has led to a lot of critical discourse and conversations, and I am grateful that it exists.

3. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

I read this book in eighth grade, and I still think about it often. The writing is accessible to people of all levels, and it really makes me think about life and humanity.

4. Unwind by Neal Shusterman

This is yet another book that makes readers truly contemplate humanity. I think it is a particularly great book to examine the way some people in society perceive certain populations to be inferior.

5. Ashfall by Mike Mullin

This isn’t my favorite cover, but the book is phenomenal. I loved how it taught me about supervolcanoes–something I knew nothing about! I highly recommend this book if you missed it.

Kellee

I love sci-fi! It may be my favorite genre. Mostly because there are so many different types of sci-fi, so it is such a variety. There is dystopian, apocalyptic, post-apocalyptic, near future sci fi, James Bond-esque sci fi, etc.

1. The Giver (and its sequels) by Lois Lowry

My favorite BOOK of all time, much less of the sci-fi genre. I recently wrote my reading autobiography to share with my students as they wrote theirs, and this is what I wrote about The Giver: “It was during middle school that I also was exposed to the book that is still my favorite book. The Giver by Lois Lowry takes the reader into a future that was furthest from what I ever wanted to experience: no colors, no books, no music, no choice, no love, no feelings, nothing. This book was an ah-ha moment for me. It made me realize that the life that I had the honor of living was far superior to other options that are out there. It made me appreciate art and music and books and love even more than I had before.”

2. Life As We Knew It (and its sequels) by Susan Beth Pfeffer

This is the first apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic book that scared me when I read it. The premise is something that seems so realistic and could happen, and the follow up is just terrifying!

3. Divergent by Veronica Roth

Ricki shared The Hunger Games, and I just had to share Divergent. When I read The Hunger Games I was blown away by the violent dystopian society, but the Divergent series really took it to the next level for me. I think it might have been the realism of it taking place in Chicago? Or that I understand Tris more than Katniss? But whatever it was, I really connected to The Divergent series.

4. Heir Apparent by Vivan Vande Velde

I included this on the list vs. some other favorites because it is a book that I don’t often hear about, and I think it is such a cool premise and all of my students that read it are just enthralled in it.

5. The Knife of Never Letting Go (and its sequels) by Patrick Ness

The Chaos Walking series is just brilliant. Serious. Brilliant. Read it if you haven’t.

Which science fiction books are your favorite?

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Top Ten Tuesday: Great Board Books According to Our Toddlers

September 6, 2016 by Ricki

Today’s Topic: Great Board Books According to Our Toddlers

Our boys have moved on to reading picture books, primarily, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t want to share their favorite board books of all time (their two years of life) with you!

Ricki

1. Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson

We’ve read this book a few hundred times (if not more). The rhythm of the book is undeniable, and it will be a forever favorite for both of us.

2. Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox

When Henry was a baby, I read this book to him over and over again. Recently, we’ve been pulling it out to read more often. He loves when I kiss his little nose three times at the end of the book.

3. Little Blue Truck and Little Blue Truck Leads the Way by Alice Schertle

I absolutely adore the first book, and Henry loves the second book. I’ve memorized both of them, and he loves to read them over and over again!

4. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

It’s no secret that I love this book. I didn’t like this book very much as a child, but Henry’s insistence that I read it almost every night until he was about 20 months old made me fall in love with it. This was the theme of his first birthday party!

5. Birthday Monsters by Sandra Boynton

There is something truly special about Sandra Boynton’s books. He also loves The Bunny Rabbit Show, which comes with a high-energy, hysterical song that is free on the internet.

Kellee

1. Fifteen Animals! by Sandra Boynton

Sometimes I think I may like this one more than Trent, but I love the song, and the book is hilarious!
Check out the song at: http://www.workman.com/boynton/#songs

2. Llama Llama Zippity-Zoon by Anna Dewdney

This is one of the first books that Trent could read from front cover to back on his own.

3. The Pigeon Has Feelings, Too! by Mo Willems

Trent loves the Pigeon, and it is one of the only voices I do when reading aloud, and this is our favorite of the board books.

4. Friends by Eric Carle

I think the premise of this book is pretty sweet and Carle’s illustrations are as pretty as always!
(Though I do have trepidations that it promotes running away and the last line is super weird, but Trent loves it!)

5. Big Friend, Little Friend from the world of Eric Carle

Although Trent doesn’t read this one to us yet, he knows exactly when to push each button.

6. Steam Train, Dream Train by Sherri Duskey Rinker

steam train

This is a new favorite of Trent’s. I didn’t want to put it in the top ten because it may not stick as a favorite, but right now, he loves the train, sleepy, and monkey noises.

7. Don’t Push the Button! by Bill Cotter

This one I am just breaking the rules on. I had just finished the post and was saving it, and I could not believe I forgot to put this one on there, so here it is. Trent and I love this book! It is interactive and funny, and I think Larry is one of my favorite monsters out there.

To see Trent’s favorite books, most of which are board books, from birth to two-years-old, check out my Trent’s Favorite Books posts:
One to Two Years Old
A First Year Full of Books
Nine to Twelve Months
Six to Nine Months
Three to Six Months
First Three Months

What board books do you, or your children, love?

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Top Ten Tuesday: Back to School Picture Books

August 30, 2016 by Ricki

Today’s Topic: Back to School Picture Books

Ricki

1. The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

I’ve posted about this book a lot lately. My son is going into pre-k this fall, and I am so anxious! As a parent, I am eternally grateful to have this book to help him (and me!) with this transition.

2. Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson

I read this book on the first day with my pre-service teachers. It is such an incredible book to teach about the importance of kindness and its rippling effects.

3. My Friend Maggie by Hannah E. Harrison

In a way, this book is similar to the last. It emphasizes the importance of kindness. It also teaches the ways that friendships evolve and why we should stand up for each other in the face of adversity.

4. The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi

I love this book because of the ways it integrates culture. Unhei works hard to pick a new name that her peers can pronounce. It is difficult to be the new kid in school, and I think that students will really relate to Unhei’s story. It is a great book to share on the first day as students struggle with their anxiety and nervous jitters.

5. This School Year Will Be THE BEST! by Kay Winters

I love setting goals on the first day, and this is a great book to share to introduce an activity like this!

Kellee

I like to start my year talking about kindness and showing that we should all care for each other no matter what. I really like to try to make my classroom a community where everyone knows we are there for each other. Here are some books that help open up communication and understanding for each other.

1. Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson

I read this book to my students on the first day of school, and we make kindness statements sharing something we are going to try to do in the upcoming school year to be kind to others.

2. Normal Norman by Tara Lazar

I love the discussion of what is “normal” in this book. Just because someone doesn’t fit the description of “normal” doesn’t mean they aren’t awesome!

3. Red by Michael Hall

I know this books ends up on a lot of my TTT lists, but I think it is brilliant how Hall is able to talk about identity and labeling in a way that makes kids understand and talk about it without them even realizing it.

4. The Perfect Percival Priggs by Julie-Anne Graham

This book leads to amazing conversations about perfection, the unrealistic aspect of it, and the anxiety that may come with it.

5. The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires

This book is a bit different than the others. This book promotes innovation and not giving up. It starts conversations about creativity, working hard, and imagination.

Which picture books are your favorites to read on the first day of school?

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Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Have Been On Our Shelves From Before We Started Blogging That We STILL Haven’t Read Yet

August 23, 2016 by Ricki

Today’s Topic: Books That Have Been On Our Shelves From Before We Started Blogging That We STILL Haven’t Read Yet

Ricki

1. A Hope in the Unseen: An American Odyssey from the Inner City to the Ivy League by Ron Suskind

A friend told me that this book really hit him hard. I immediately bought it. I still haven’t read it, and I am disappointed in myself! Based on the topic, I know I will love reading it, so I need to get moving!

2. Stitches: A Memoir by David Small

This graphic novel memoir has been on the top of my list for about seven years. I just haven’t been able to nab it at the library, so it has remained on my TBR shelf!

3. Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine

This is another book that I have intended to read for a long time, and I haven’t gotten around to reading it yet (ahh!).

4. Scars by Cheryl Rainfield

I’ve read about a dozen books that feature a character who cuts, and I have liked them all. But I’ve heard this book really hits readers hard. I think my anxiety that it won’t live up to the hype has kept me from reading it, but I need to just jump in!

5. Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden

I’ve intended to read this foundational book for years and years. I think I will put it on my #mustread list next year to make sure I don’t miss it!

Kellee

I have thousands of books that I have wanted to read for years, so I didn’t know where to begin. These five books are all from the top 20 books on my Goodreads To Read list (back from 2009 when I joined).

1. The Schwa was Here by Neal Shusterman

I was a Shusterman fan before it was cool (Everlost and Bruiser, anyone?!?!), but this is one that I haven’t read yet. It has been on my TBR for years, and it has a sequel now–I really need to read it.

2. The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

This book and all of its sequels are loved by so many people I admire. I love the comparison to nostalgic classics, and it was a National Book Award winner.

3. Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

This series has been described as witty, supposedly there is funny banter, and rip-roaring action (see Donalyn Miller’s, Katherine Sokolowski, and Sasha’s reviews on Goodreads), and these all make it sound like it is going to be a series I’d enjoy! Now I just need to pick it up

4. The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

Any book compared to The Maze Runner and Percy Jackson and has the premise of saving the world sounds like an adventure that’ll suck me in.

5. Snatched by Pete Hautman and Mary Logue

First, I’ve wanted to read something by Pete Hautman for years. Second, I added this because it was compared to Adam Canfield that I loved. Third, it is a mystery which I love!

Which books have lingered on your shelves for years and years?

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Top Ten Tuesday: Diverse Books I Wish More People Would Read to Build Understanding and Empathy

August 16, 2016 by Kellee

Today’s Topic: Diverse Books I Wish More People Would Read to Build Understanding and Empathy

Kellee

One of the things this election has made me think about is the superiority that so many feel about themselves versus others. I wish they would pick up some of these books to help them build empathy for their fellow man. These books push the reader outside of their comfort zone and helps us see the world from a different point of view. I tried to pick books that focused on different diverse populations and included picture, middle grade, and young adult books. And yes, I did more than 10 🙂

How it Went Down by Kekla Magoon

Inspired by Trayvon Martin’s murder, Magoon looks at a young black boy’s murder from different points of view.

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

After an incident of police brutality, one boy must figure out how to stay strong and another must figure out how to question everything he knows.

A Piece of Home by Jeri Watts

What is it like to move to a brand new country with a brand new language? Tough but so many immigrants do it for a hope of a better future.

Tía Isa Wants a Car by Meg Medina

While still saving to help more of their family immigrate to the U.S., Tía Isa works twice as hard to also buy something so many of us take for granted: a car.

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

What is it like to grow up surrounded by war? To have to walk 2 hours for water? To want to be anywhere but the country that you live in?

Kiki and Jacques by Susan Ross

An introduction to refugees from a middle school boy’s point of view. The reader also gets to learn about the refugees and their lives and situations along with Jacques which makes it so students with no prior knowledge can live Kiki and Jacques story with them.

Children Growing Up with War by Jenny Matthews

So many of us live in a privilege that includes peace, shelter, safety, and other basic needs. This is not so for so much of the world, and children grow up surrounded by violence all over the world. What is their life like?

The Milk of Birds by Sylvia Whitman

This book looks at two very different girls but both who need to be read about: KC has a learning disability and Nawra is a refugee in Darfur.

Fist Stick Knife Gun: A Personal History of Violence by Geoffrey Canada

A gritty, truthful narrative about the evolution of violence.

Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky

Grayson will help so many readers learn about the struggle of being transgender.

So Hard to Say by Alex Sanchez

What happens if you want to be normal, but you know that you aren’t? Is being gay a choice you can make?

Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall

Although a story of a crayon, it looks at identity and labels. Not everyone has to be what they are labeled or are told to be. Let people shine as they truly are.

My Friend Maggie by Hanna E. Harrison

Maggie is a big overweight and Veronica is not very nice to her. Paula struggles with the want to be popular or be friends with an amazing person who isn’t as popular. This story is an anthropomorphic story of what can happen on any playground in America.

Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero

Gabi’s story hits on so many topics (pregnancy, abortion, meth, family, religion, ethnicity, school, homosexuality, sex, death, poetry, college, rape, and gender expectations, just to name a few), but they are all done with grace and understanding.

Sold by Patricia McCormick

Would you ever sell your child into prostitution for food? That is a question we may never have to face, but some families will.

Which diverse books did you wish more people read to help build understanding and empathy?

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books We’d Buy Right This Second If Someone Handed Us A Fully Loaded Gift Card

August 4, 2016August 2, 2016 by Ricki

Today’s Topic: Ten Books We’d Buy Right This Second If Someone Handed Us A Fully Loaded Gift Card

Ricki

1. Old MacDonald Had a Truck by Steve Goetz

First, I’d buy this book for my son. The premise of the book encompasses everything he loves. I registered for it for my baby sprinkle and am hoping he gets it.

2. The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

My son starts preschool next month, and I am really anxious about it. I plan to buy this book beforehand and read it to him. That way, he knows I am always there for him, even when I may seem far away. I registered for this book, too, and I saw someone bought it off of the registry (yay!).

3. Migrant: The Journey of a Mexican Worker by José Manuel Mateo and Javier Martínez Pedro

I haven’t yet read this book, but the way it folds out is fascinating to me. I haven’t been able to get it from the library, so I may splurge and buy it.

4. Return by Aaron Becker

I’ve read Journey at least 50 times this month with my son. I recently won the second book, Quest, from Linda’s blog. I can’t wait to get it and surprise my son. I registered for the last book in the series and am hoping to receive it. We love these books!

5. Leave Me by Gayle Foreman

An adult novel by Gayle Forman? Sign me up. This book comes out the day before my birthday, and I am absolutely planning on putting it on my birthday wishlist.

Kellee

I actually made this list based on the books I DID buy when I received Kindle money from the Apple lawsuits. Here are the 5 books I purchased with that free money:

1. The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien

Not often does a high schooler come back to me in love with a book they read in high school, but his is one that Victoria, my FPSer, raved. She was in such shock that I hadn’t read it, and was going to lend me hers, but I figured I should get my own.

2. The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah

While I was on my way home from DC, one of the flight attendants stopped me to ask me what I was reading. We began a discussion about favorite books and Black Lives Matter, and she recommended The Coldest Winter Ever to me.

3. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

I’ve wanted to read this since I first heard the premise. Then it won the National Book Award. During this time where we need to be having honest conversations about race, books like this educate us and help us have those conversations.

4. The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner

I am in a Voxer group with some of my favorite educator and reader friends, and this is a book that has been recommended on there by everyone that has read it.

5. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

This is a book that I have wanted to read since I learned about it in my lit degree, but I never owned it. Now I do.

Which books would you buy right now if were given a gift card?

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Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Things Books Have Made Us Want To Learn More About

August 4, 2016July 26, 2016 by Ricki

Today’s Topic: Ten Things Books Have Made Us Want To Learn More About

These books sent us on a researching rampage!

Ricki

1. Immigration

Inspired after reading The Secret Side of Empty by Maria E. Andreu

After reading this book, I realized how much I didn’t know about undocumented immigrants and their struggles. Since then, I’ve read a few other books and scoured the internet to read more about policy.

2. Lesser Known Stories from WWII

Inspired by Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys and Hidden Like Anne Frank by Marcel Prins and Peter Steehuis

These two books made me aware that there are common war stories, and I have begun to actively seek out other stories that may have been just as common but not popularized in literature.

3. Disability’s Portrayal in Society and Literature

Inspired by: Wonder by R. J. Palacio

While I read this book several years ago (when it came out), I still think that it was the turning point that I began to research disability more often. It opened my eyes to a world I was not aware enough of, and for that, I am very grateful.

4. Cultural Literacy (and why I don’t advocate for this theory)

Inspired by: Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know by E. D. Hirsch, Jr.

I respect the passion and the position that Hirsch has, but after reading this book, I decided it was not a philosophy for me (see the post linked above for more about this). I like how he made me think critically and research this topic further. It was interesting to learn more about why scholars support it.

5. Better Ways to Teach for Social Action

Inspired by: Black Ants and Buddhists by Mary Cowhey

In her book, Cowhey critiques the typical ways that teachers think they are moving their students toward social action. She says it is not enough to do a recycling program. At first, I thought this was critical (and I still feel that a recycling program is helpful!). Then, I began to consider—How can we do more than this?

Kellee

I focused on nonfiction texts that I had read that caused me to jump on Google as soon as I was done reading them (or even while reading them!).

1. The Mary Celeste

Inspired by Unsolved Mysteries in History: The Mary Celeste by Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple

I am overall fascinated with unsolved mysteries. I am a person that likes to get answers, so an unsolved mystery is so baffling to me that I must go learn everything about it. And in addition, this is a mystery from history that is still not solved. Although there are four books in the series (Salem, Roanoke, and the Wolf Girls), this was the one that really got me reading. If you don’t know about the Mary Celeste mystery, grab this book and then get Googling!

2. Synesthesia

Inspired by The Noisy Paint Box by Barb Rosenstock and The Girl Who Heard Colors by Marie Harris

I am a fan of Kandinsky’s work, but I had not known where his style or change in art movement came from, so I was very interested in learning about it; however, I didn’t know that synesthesia would be the answer! What a fascinating neurological phenomenon! After sharing how interested I was in it, a friend recommended Harris’s book, and I love how she shows the reader about the phenomena.

3. Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Inspired by Plastics Ahoy! by Patricia Newman

I try to live a Green lifestyle, and environmental issues is one of my top three issues when I am looking at politics, but I had not realized how bad the pollution had gotten. This book put that in perspective, and I found myself looking to talk to everyone about this.

4. The Family Romanov

Inspired by The Family Romanov by Candace Fleming

I remember when the movie “Anastasia” came out, I became a bit obsessed with the story of the missing princess, so when Fleming wrote The Family Romanov, I knew I was going to have to read it. First, I must say that “Anastasia” was way off of the true story (I rewatched it after reading the book), but there are still mysteries and horrors revolving the Romanov family. During and after reading, I found myself reading more information about events mentioned in Fleming’s book and looking for photographs of places, people, and events.

5. Civil Rights Movement

Inspired by many amazing books about the Civil Rights Movement

Reading about this tumultuous and important time in history helps me understand the story, history, and plight of my fellow Americans. I am always interested in learning more about this part of history because I believe it will help us in our modern situations.

What have you inspired to learn more about?

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