over

Spring Break is officially over. It is back to the daily grind. Oh well. At least it wasn't totally wasted. We went to South Fla to see the tut artifacts-pretty cool, spent some time at Sea World, and the Brevard Zoo, then plenty off time on UCF stuff. Now it is only 9 more weeks until summer break. M Donlevy

yes

Spring Break is here! Ok that last book I started to hate, it wasn't so bad. It wasn't that great. You might have read it- Whirligig. I understood the point, but it was just blah. My other realistic fiction book was much more riveting- Stuck in Neutral. Wow, that book will be in my head for awhile. I guess I need to get back on my digital audio and images. I'm pretty much ahead of the game in my other two classes.

books, books, books

Reading has been very rewarding. So far everything has been A+ material. I finished Speak in 3 days. I already started on my paper. I’m making my wife read it now. I need someone to discuss it with, and I need it immediately.
My new book doesn’t seem as interesting. Actually, I hate it. Maybe things will turn around in the next chapter. I hope so; I almost feel guilty. A character just died off and I could care less. I’m still thinking about my compare and contrast paper of Speak and The Giver. Maybe that is throwing me off right now.
One week until Spring Break. My hopes are high.
M Donlevy

My Top 10 Books List- Modern Fantasy

I was extremely excited to get into reviewing books in the Modern Fantasy genre. This is my specialty. It is what I grew up on. I really wanted to see what new material is being made available for the YA audience.

Nancy Farmer’s The House of the Scorpion (2002 Simon & Schuster) is a great testament of what YA sci-fi is all about. The novel is set in a not too distant future; it doesn’t exactly specify a particular time. But, the technology it introduces is quite plausible considering the current state of science.
One of the greatest strengths of the story is how it builds upon two of today’s top controversial issues- drug trafficking and cloning. It is an interesting combination.
The story chronicles the life of Matt, a clone created by a great drug lord. I don’t want to give away any more spoilers. This is simply a must read for any sci-fi fan.
Most reviewers recommend the book for ages 11-14. I personally would shift the age bracket up slightly. While Farmer limits the brutality one could associate with drug cartels, some of the issues might be tricky for younger readers. Plus, the book is a little longer than others recommended for this age group.
M Donlevy
Links of Interest
Author Bio
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/writers/writerdetails.asp?z=y&cid=1033958#bio

Author Interviews
http://www.bookpage.com/0410bp/nancy_farmer.html

http://www.locusmag.com/2004/Issues/01Farmer.html

Reviews
http://www.childrencomefirst.com/bkreviewHouseOfScorpion.shtml

http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=1-0689852231-0

updates

It was a dull week dominated by the FCAT. Yuck!
Our teachers’ union is stating a protest today over the whole merit pay issue.
They warned us that there won’t be any public restrooms available, but they told us to bring the whole family. Thanks, but no thanks. Also, you would think that they would get other counties involved. No, we’re alone.
I’m not against merit pay, but it would be nice of the state to actually fund these programs.
I need to work more on my writing. Maybe I’ll get published and find a new meal ticket.
Who am I kidding? I’m destined to stay in education until the bitter end. It is a sick kind of love/hate relationship.
M Donlevy

My Top 10 Books- Traditional Literature 2

Children’s literature today is flooded with traditional stories that have long been passed down from generation to generation. It is essential for children to be exposed to these classic stories. Our children are next in line to pass these tales down to future readers.
While the stories themselves are indeed timeless, readers will often get tired of recycled material. To overcome this each generation of storytellers needs to take a fresh approach to the stories without changing their heart.

Robert Ingpen’s retelling of The Ugly Duckling (2005 Minedition) is a beautiful example of a revival of one of history’s most beloved stories. While Anthea Bell takes credit for this particular translation of Hans Christian Anderson’s original text, it is Ingpen’s exquisite art work the truly brings it to life. Each page is simply mesmerizing. I wish I could find the words to better describe the book; it simply must be experienced.

Links of interest-
http://www.melaleuca.com.au/ingpen/
http://www.alumni.rmit.edu.au/fame/fame_profile.asp?id=223
http://www.nla.gov.au/ms/findaids/9141.html

M Donlevy