I Was Wrong

In a previous post, I said these words: "You should rejoice that you live in Steubenville .. it has an absolutely FABULOUS library system." Well, I take it back.

I just spent a fourth evening trying to find and request the historical fiction I want to supplement our Medieval studies. And again I find that the library system has flushed all the Catholic books out of the system. No, I'm NOT being paranoid or jumping to conclusions. Don't believe me? Just find a list of all the books Milton Lomask wrote (about 30). Two-thirds of those were biographies of famous Americans, and one-third were biographies of Catholic saints. Sure enough, Ohio has plenty of his books - but not a single one about a saint. This is about the 5th time I've run into this.

What's the deal?

I'm choosing not to become bitter or go to war with the state of Ohio, but I am pondering which path of action is more prudent: I could get a part time job to buy the books I want my kids to read (which means, of course that I'd have to buy a bigger house to put them all), or I could break down and go pay Franciscan's library the $40 I owe in overdue fines so I can borrow from them.

Hmm, what do you think the hubbie will say?

To Kill a Mockingbird: The Student Survival Guide

What was I thinking? Do you have ANY idea how many resources there are for putting together a unit on To Kill a Mockingbird? I feel like I'm drowning in an ocean of options, and every fish who swims by leads to a better shipwreck treasure of depression-era webquests, race-relations primary sources and lit circle project ideas.

So even though I am tempted to give up on any of these resources due to interest death by overkill, I am going to give my students this ONE website to help them understand the book. It's an illustrated annotation of the text, and although I really prefer to read with a physical book in my hand, this site is so helpful that it may be worth reading the text at the computer.

I love its simplicity: each chapter has highlighted vocabulary, idioms and allusions. When you click on the high-lighted word you don't understand, it either explains the word very simply, or (my favorite part) it shows you a picture.

Check out this example:

"Atticus kept us in fits that evening, gravely reading columns of print about a man who sat on a flagpole for no discernible reason...(p. 36)."

See those blue highlights? Go ahead, click the one I know is bothering you the most, the part about the man who sat on a flagpole!

Way cool. So students, you ARE allowed to use the computer while you read.

See my list of links on the right for more annotated texts.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke - a review

I wandered down to my library to find something to read, and realized that the ONE book I'm really in the mood for isn't there (it's making rounds with my students)! I'm feeling a little bit like the main character, Meggie, in Inkheart . She also loves books, and she'd agree with me that certain characters are old friends we need to visit once in a while; she'd agree that certain moods call for certain books, too!

This story appeals to fans of fantastic medieval kingdoms and magic as well as bibliophiles (book lovers). It's about Meggie's dad, Mo, who can "read" people out of books. You name it, any book, any character: fairies, birds, little glass men, etc. He can make them actually leave their stories and show up in your bedroom. But he has no idea how he does it, or how to UNDO it.

One day when Meggie is little, Mo accidentally reads two villains and an innocent juggler/fire eater out of their world. And his wife disappears - we assume INTO the book. Ten years later, Meggie doesn't even remember her mother, but the bad guys show up to catch Mo and make him use his "Magic Voice" for their own gain (imagine all the gold and jewels from Treasure Island landing in your living room). And the homesick fire eater, Dustfinger, is now dangerously desperate for Mo to read him back into his own story.

This is an odd case where I think the second book, Inkspell, is better than the first. Mo and Meggie end up INSIDE the story with new villains to fight. The little old man who created the original book is found to help re-write things. The action is faster, and the characters become even more interesting. I can't wait until the last in the trilogy, Inkdeath, comes out next October. I believe there is also a movie of Inkheart coming out next year, but my hopes aren't real high with Brendan Fraser cast as Mo.

When I first read Inkheart, it took me a while to warm up to it. There are some things I really DON'T like. For instance, Meggie calls her father by his first name, Mo. Maybe it's trivial, but my Southern sensibilities find it disrespectful. Also - and I'm assuming it's because this book is from Europe, where things are done differently - there are some words more crude than you'd expect from quality American children's lit. Then the translation sometimes seems awkward in phrasing as well as some of the situations.

I'm not a world traveler, so maybe that explains it, but in one part, Meggie is driving down the highway into Italy with her rich aunt, and they are so hot their clothes stick to the seats. It struck me as very odd that a wealthy woman would have a nice car, but no air conditioning. Maybe that's just the way Europe is. Mo can be overprotective - but then Meggie is awfully willful. The henchmen are stupid as well as evil, and that can get old pretty fast. I wonder how the author will wrap things up?

At first this book reminded me of The Neverending Story, but I like Inkheart's plot and characters much more. Aha! The Neverending Story is also German! Perhaps Funke was influenced by it. I've never seen that movie, so I don't know if it's anything like the book, which is OK, but that is a different post!

If You Give Yourself a Book-on-Tape...

You will be a better reader.
Just like giving a mouse a cookie, or a pig a pancake, there are serious consequences involved when you listen to a book on tape. But doesn't listening to the book defeat the purpose of learning about good literature? No way! Listening does several wonderful things. First, you hear the story. Obvious, I know, but isn't that the point? We all love a great story!

You will be a Brain-iac.
Audio helps you understand books that are above your reading level. How? Because you hear all the vocabulary and sentences read with correct phrasing. The reader understands the meaning of the words, so he or she interprets it correctly for you. Whether you realize it or not, you've just been handed the gift of several new words and their meanings wrapped up with a bow. Now you'll be able to use the words in conversation (ooh la la, aren't you a smarty-pants). You know the pronunciation and at least one meaning. Spelling and other shades of meaning can now more easily link themselves into your brain.

You will be a better writer.
How is this possible, without a pen in front of you, you marvel? Trust me, it's true. If you study music at all, you'll see it's the same concept: you are training your ear to distinguish complete sentences, developed ideas, dialogue and dialect, plot development, and lots of other fancy things you need for good writing. When you go to write your own ideas down, your brain already has a blueprint of the forms you need. It'll just take practice to link up the ideas on the right side of your brain with the blueprints waiting on the left side!

You will be a better Orator, or Reader-Aloud (Hmm, maybe I should get out the Synonym Finder)
Same concept as above. It's no problem now for you to read aloud with meaning and expression, because you've heard it done so many times. Without realizing it, you will automatically search for the natural pauses and emphases the writer so thoughtfully provided for you with their punctuation. Which reminds me, if you give yourself a book-on-tape, you'll be a much better grammarian...

Get the idea?

When should you get a an audiobook instead of print?
Whenever you have to paint your room, rake the leaves, scrub the kitchen, build with legos, knit some socks, bead a rosary, drive long distances while avoiding reading-induced car sickness, or any other mindless chore where your hands and eyes can't possibly be two places at once! How about before bed? During lunch? Whenever you might be tempted to watch a mindless show on TV?

So yes, Mom and Dad, it's perfectly fine if your child LISTENS to our Book Club choices on audio!