View From the 5th Grade Trenches: August 2012 - Suggestions Please

Now that the new school year is upon us, my monthly feature:  View From the 5th Grade Trenches

where I crack open my classroom door so you can peek at life in 5th grade at a public school will be starting up again.

For the first installment of the 2012-2013 school year I'm going to pick your brains.

What books should I read aloud to my class this year?

I am thrilled to open the year with:

Stand by, Lee for a barrage of questions and comments from my new crop of 5th graders.

I am seriously toying with the idea of following that with:

since I have a "thing" about kids being exposed to the book before they see the movie.

And now, it's your turn.

What is a MUST READ for my kiddos this year?

Fivers

Thank you so much, C.LeeMcKenzie, author and blogger extraordinaire over at The Write Game blog, for passing on positive vibes with the following awards. Look for her new middle grade novel, Alligators Overhead.

The task for this award is to name your five favorite books. I can't, I just can't. It's like picking a favorite child. 

I'm an audiobook nut, so I'll pick five YA audiobooks that kept the ear buds firmly planted in my noggin.

1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

2. Insurgent by Veronica Roth

3. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

4. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

5. The Chaos Walking Trilogy: The Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask and the Answer, Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

Don't you just love anything with the word fabulous in it?

Fabulous Moments:

1. Applauding as my daughter graduated with a BA in English from UC Irvine - Yes, another writer has entered the ranks

2. Watching my son on stage - so talented

3. Sitting on the beach from sunset until the stars come out

4. The first day I meet a new class of fifth graders

5. Reconnecting with a friend I thought I'd never see again

Five Things I Love:

1. Writing by the fire, wearing fuzzy socks

2. Snuggling with all three cats at once

3. Road trips

4. A story that moves me to tears

5. Watching my students sneak-read a book they can't put down in class 

Five Things I Dislike:

1. Dream stealers

2. Meaness

3. Joss Whedon killing off characters I love

4. Narrow, inflexible minds

5. Double dippers at a party

I'm going off book here for passing on these awards. Instead of naming names, I award anyone who:

1. Listens to audiobooks

2. Has met one of their favorite authors in person

3. Married their childhood sweetheart

4. Has a child who is pursuing a life in the arts

5. Is going to Comic Con in San Diego this month

Please let us know as you pick up an award so we can click your link and visit your blog.

I'd can't wait to hear your stories.


Giveaway over at Journeys of Wonder this week.

'Lil Bit 'O News

Guess what?

I survived the Yalitchat Pitch Slam. In fact, I actually am one of the finalists for my pitch of OVER THE DEEP FRIED RAINBOW. It took me about twenty-four hours to lift my jawbone off the pavement. I would like to officially apologize to my friend, Diane for whacking her in the arm a little too hard when I saw my name listed.

Congratulations to all my fellow finalists. Here’s a “Whoo – hoo” for all of you.

For anyone reading this, I’m not opposed to you dancing naked in the forest or partaking in any other Pagan ritual of good luck, good vibes, or good juju to support my chances in the final leg of my pitch slam journey.

And now for something completely different… (Yes, besides being a Star Wars and Lord of the Ring geek, I’m also a ridiculously devoted Monty Python fan.)

Thank you to C. Lee McKenzie over at the The Write Game for the Versatile Blogger award.

There’s a lot of responsibility with this award and I have a frightening amount of papers to grade so instead of naming specific blogs to pass the award to, I’d like to change up the equation.

Check out blogs I follow in my profile and find some new friends to visit.

Here are my 7 random facts:

1. My Christmas tree is still up. It's a perpetual pine, but the cat still eats the needles and vomits.
2. I’m trying to put my cat on a diet.
3. Bugs don’t freak me out.
4. My first car was that version of a Pinto that would explode if it was rear ended, yet my parents claim they weren't trying to off me.
5. I’m tone deaf, so of course I love to sing at the top of my lungs.
6. I believe David Tennant was the best Dr. Who ever.
7. My southern roots cause me to use done as a helping verb on some occasions. Example: “I done finished the magazine in the outhouse.” 

Have a kickin’ week.