Back After a LONG Hiatus

Not that many people visit this blog, but I have been neglectful in keeping it current. In the time that I have been away, there have been some new books that have become must haves for a classroom.

On the traditional text front, the Spiderwick Chronicles and the Fablehaven series were ones that I tore through this summer. Really good books that are a perfect mix of action, mystery and fantasy for kids in the 9-13 year old range.

Fablehaven can get a bit intense in scenes, so maybe bump the recommendation up for that one to the 10+ range. It has a great female lead character, so is a good one for girls who like fantasy.

Right now I am reading book one of the Incarceron trilogy and am very intrigued by the premise. It falls into the distopian world category that has been popular in the teen age range since Hunger Games came out. This one is a bit on the older reader scale, I would say 13+ on this one.

On the comic front, I can't praise the Amulet series enough for generating excitement about reading for my 4th graders. This is one that by the end of the year 90% of them have read and LOVED. If you have one set graphic novels in your classroom, this should be the series to get.

Another big hit, not only in my classroom, but at home with my two sons is the Big Nate series. A bit more fun and a lot less sarcastic than Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Big Nate is just good clean comic fun.

That is it for now. I will work to post more frequent updates from here on out.

Pixton Comic Generator

Of the many things I have found trolling on Twitter, this has to be my favorite. Pixton.com is a fantastic comic generator that has so many applications for classroom use. It has a lite version that is free, and a full version which is very reasonably priced. Here is part of one that I made for my students when we got back from Winter Break.

Sign up and play. The controls are not that intuitive at first, but you will get the hang of it in no time. Then, create a "class" and get your students on it. They will love it. It is all web based, so they don't need any software. They can also log in and work on it from any internet enabled computer. 


The full comic is linked below. 
Classroom Comic

Best Batman book in the last 10 years!

Scott Snyder's run on Batman has been epic. The collected volume of his first major story arc is now collected in a single hardcover edition. This would make a great addition to any high school classroom library. Anyone who is even remotely interested in comics will have a hard time not enjoying this. Have a reluctant reader? Hand them this and odds are that they will come back to you wanting more like it. 


Black Mirror Hardcover

Ultimate Comics Spiderman Hardcover V. 1

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man Volume 1 hardcover is available for preorder on Amazon. This book features the all new Spider-Man, Miles Morales. See a previous post for an explanation of this fantastic new character. What a great opportunity for the students of color to see themselves represented in one of the most iconic superheroes of all time. 


This book is appropriate for grades fifth and up. 



Ultimate Comics Spider-Man Hardcover

Comic Classroom of the Week: Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #1

This month, Marvel launched the new face of Ultimate Spider-Man. Meet Miles Morales, a teen from NYC who is filling the role of Ultimate Spider-Man after Peter Parker's demise in issue #160 of the previous series. Issue #1 was released in mid-September and has been very well received. As someone who has every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man, I was nervous about the change, but was immediately set at ease after reading the first issue (several times!).

The story starts off with Miles' family as they enter a school multi-purpose room where a lottery is taking place for admission into a charter school. This scene is very contemporary and for anyone who has seen Waiting for Superman, it really resonates. You immediately connect with Miles (who is randomly selected for the school) when he ponders the justice in getting in over so many other children. The story progresses from there, including the big reveal about how he gets his powers.


Brian Michael Bendis makes this a very accessible comic for new readers. If you or your students have NEVER read a comic before, you can pick this up and know exactly what is going on. For your students of color, this is a chance to see someone that looks like many of them donning one of the most iconic costumes in comics, in pop culture for that matter. For your reluctant readers, the sequential art provides reading cues to aide comprehension.


Subscriptions on Marvel.com are only $24. Why not get one for your class? You may need to pick up issue #1 at a comic shop, as the subscriptions take a bit to get going. While at the shop, talk to the people who work there about other books/titles they could recommend for readers in you age/level range.

Classroom Comic of the Week: BONE by Jeff Smith

Bone: Out of Boneville by Jeff Smith

The Bone series, written by Jeff Smith, really could be considered the gold standard for sequential art for readers in the 4th-adult age range. Originally printed as individual comics, it is a timeless story of the unexpected hero, who finds himself in the unenviable circumstance of saving a world from evil. If you are a Lord of the Rings fan, the parallels are numerous. The characters are unique and well developed. The bad guys are really bad and the good guys are the type you just want to cheer for. 


Smith does an amazing job pacing this book, including plenty of side plots, many of which are quite humorous. The are 10 volumes in all, which includes the prequel Rose. There is also a complete volume which is all nine of the originals, but the drawback to that is its size and the fact that it is in black and white. Stick with the color volumes for your classroom, as the color work done by Steve Hamaker adds immeasurably to the overall effect.


The sweet spot for this series is mid to late fourth grade, and really any grade thereafter. There is some violence in the later books, as the evil side really clings to its hold on the world, and should be considered when adding these books to your library. That being said, I have seen these books change student attitudes towards reading for enjoyment, and rarely are they on my shelf for very long.  

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

 If you are an elementary school teacher is grades 3/4 and up, this is a must have for your library or classroom. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, adapted from Frank Baum's masterpiece gets adapted for the comic book universe. Author Eric Shanower and artist Skottie Young infuse new energy and ideas into this timeless story. The art is endearing and the characters and plot, while familiar, have enough twists and turns to make this feel like a something you are reading for the first time. 


There are three volumes of the series available. Volume 1 is also out in paperback, which will save you a few $$ (although if it is for your classroom, you might want to get the HC). 


 Start there, and consider picking up the monthly comic as an additional alternative to your traditional classroom library. 

"Help Flags" in the Computer Lab

I have needed a management tool for the computer lab in the last couple of years, and I thought of this over the summer. It is a basic clip with a popsicle stick coming out of the top. I have a class set and everyone snags one when we head to the lab. When we get there, they know to first open our typing software and then hide it in the dock (command H) on a Mac. Then, we open the application we will be working on and off they go.


Here is where the flags come in. When they run into a hiccup, or need help, they put their flag up, open the typing software and occupy themselves while they wait. This keeps them from waiting unproductively while I am helping other students, and it  keeps them from holding their hands in the air, or calling my name. They are cheap, and has done wonders for changing the atmosphere in the lab.

DC- The New 52

DC has relaunched all 52 of its titles this month for the first time in history. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern will be only a few of the iconic heroes to get brand new #1's this month. What a great time to start picking up some of these titles for your middle school or high school classroom. The story lines will be brand new and will not be bogged down by 40 years of backstory. 


Find a local comic shop and just drop in. They are clambering for new customers and will walk you through the titles that are best for your age group. While there, check out some of the "Must Reads" shown in the left column of the home page. 


Feel free to email me questions, or post a comment and I will reply. 

Amulet Book 4 Now Out!

The Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi are easily one of the most frequently read books in my classroom. There have been years when EVERY student has read one or more books in the series. Book 4, The Last CouncilI  was just released and should be on your short list of books to include in you classroom library in the 4th-6th grade range. I have not had the chance to read it, as there were two students who asked me about when it was going to arrive, every day leading up to the day it was delivered. They are plowing through it as I type this.


So, start by picking up book 1, which is available at Amazon and Scholastic...so if you are sitting on a million Bonus Points...