What I've Been Up To (Besides Reading)

It's been a while since I've done any posts that revolve around food or travel. I think about those things all the time, but I haven't written about them in a while.

My body is continuing to heal from all the digestive/IBS issues that have exacerbated the past few years and I finally found a solution with the Low FODMAP diet. I feel like going through that 6 week elimination two summers ago was my body's way of purging all the toxins that were causing my digestive system to overreact to almost everything I ate. I can't say that I can eat now with reckless abandon, but I have been able to add some foods back into my diet that were causing me problems before.

What else have I been up to? Well, I won't be writing about any big trips this year because my husband and I elected not to take a big summer vacation this year like we always do. Why is that? Well, because we just moved to Ann Arbor.

A horrible, sweaty picture of my husband and me post-run in front of our new house

I have always loved this town. This is both a physically, culturally, and politically active community, and as such, I have felt more motivated to get out of the house and get moving. I can now walk and ride my bike to places, whereas before, our neighborhood was not conducive to walking or bike riding. 

I also recently left my social media coordinator position with NCTE due to some reorganization they've been doing, but no worries because I accepted a full time position at my school next year. I will be teaching my regular 8th grade English classes, but then I will also be the K-8 librarian! To say I'm excited would be an understatement.

Since things seem to be falling into place, I'm hoping to start writing more regular posts here on the blog, especially food and book-related posts. Travel? Those posts will likely continue to be few and far between unfortunately.

A fishy comparison

I met with a new family doctor this week whom I absolutely adore, but one of the things she suggested to me was to try to eat fish at least once a week.

I don't like fish. At least I think I don't. I have to admit, I've never tried every single fish out there. In general, however, fish and me don't get along.

But I have decided that before I spend my entire life thinking I don't like ALL fish, I will make an attempt to try different types of fish to see if there's anything I do like, or at the very least, tolerate. I had a taste of this back in June when my husband and I went to Iceland and I had Arctic char for the first time. It was phenomenal. It was light yet meaty and had a mild salmon flavor. I could deal with fish if it all had the taste and texture of Arctic char.

This Arctic char I had in Iceland made me think maybe there is other fish I might like

But Arctic char is like $18 a pound, so you know, I should probably see what else is out there if I want to make an attempt to eat fish once a week.

When I was at Whole Foods this weekend, I actually strolled over to the seafood counter, which I usually quickly bypass on other trips to the grocery store. This time I made an effort to talk to the lady behind the counter to ask her about the different kinds of fish and what she would recommend for someone like me who doesn't generally like it. She suggested catfish since it has a mild flavor and is great for grilling. So I bought four small fillets of catfish and grilled them for dinner.

They weren't bad. I didn't LOVE it, but the mild flavor didn't send my gag reflex into overdrive either. So overall, it was a successful attempt at trying something new.

Believe it or not, this encounter made me think about how my aversion to fish is not unlike reluctant readers. Reluctant readers think they don't like all books, when in reality, they just haven't found a book they really like. Back in June, I had a taste of a fish I really like which allowed me to be curious about what else is out there.

Teachers, don't give up on those students who turn their nose up at books. It's your job to try to find them their Arctic char. To be that fish monger who won't give up on finding them their perfect fish that won't make them gag.

Or something like that. It sounded better in my head.

Finding Joy

Ever since this school year began I have been in a perpetual state of exhaustion. It's no secret that this has been a difficult school year for me. But despite being tired and overwhelmed 95% of the time, I'm trying really hard to find those small victories, moments of joy that I might miss if I'm  doing nothing but complaining all the time.

So here were some moments of joy from my school day yesterday:

Moment #1

6th graders turned in the book reviews they'd been working on all week and many of the students wanted to share them with the class. One student read her book review for one of my favorite books, The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex. After she read her review, we proceeded to have a class discussion about how we (those who have read and loved the book) wish we could have our very own J.Lo (the alien, not the singer) because he is just so adorable. Then another student attempted to explain why J.Lo's best line in the whole book, ("Can I come into the out now?") actually makes sense as he proceeded to explain why it works grammatically.



Moment #2
Due to complicated circumstances that I prefer not to spend time explaining, I lost my prep period yesterday, which normally would cause me to grumble for the rest of the day, but by the end of the period, I ended up being happier for losing my prep than if I had taken it. The short version of why I lost my prep was because I had to watch one of the 8th grade classes because they weren't able to go to their special.

I have one 8th grade class for English, but I don't see the other 8th grade class at all. The class I don't see at all is the one that I ended up watching. They were asked to bring something to work on and use that period as a study hall. Since getting my 6th graders to work independently and quietly this year is like trying to herd cats, I was pleasantly surprised when the 8th graders came in, sat down and started working on their math or social studies or other work that they had due. They were talking, but they were productive and the noise level was not detrimental to others' learning. At one point in the class period I stood up, looked around and said, "Can I just tell you how much I appreciate what you're doing right now? Everyone is working and even though you're talking, it is productive noise. I haven't been able to experience that very much this year."

At one point during the period, one of the students jokingly picked up a novel as he was perusing the books in my classroom, started to read it and said, "I'm not reading this. It has too many words in it." So I told him I have quite the selection of picture books if those were more his speed (and a cacophony of 8th grade boys proceeded to say, "Oooh! Burn!" as seems to be the 8th grade comeback of choice these days). He spent the next fifteen minutes contentedly looking through picture books when I said to him and the rest of the class, "Do you guys want me to read you a picture book?" A few said yes and gathered around the floor, but many continued their math or social studies work and the productive noise didn't transform into a hush as I had hoped. Still, I pressed on, reading both  I Want My Hat Back and This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen to the five students on the floor who legitimately wanted me to read them a picture book. But I soon discovered that as I continued to read, the students who were doing their work reduced their noise level and many of them even halted their own work to find out what happened to the bear and the fish's hats.

One student's astute/entertaining observations from the two books:

• Wait Mrs. Shaum! *Spoiler alert* Did the bear eat the squirrel too? We know he ate the rabbit, but what happened to the squirrel? (I never actually thought about that. Maybe he did eat the squirrel too!)
• Hold on! Wait! How can the hat stay on the fish? Wouldn't it just float away? (Apparently a talking fish is enough to suspend belief but the physics of a fish wearing a hat in water isn't).

After I read the two Klassen books, the student who was "burned" by my suggestion that he read some picture books wanted to read one to the class. So I gave up my chair, parked myself on the floor with the other 8th graders and listened to him read The Five Chinese Brothers by Claire Hutchet Bishop. It was probably the most enjoyable class I've had all year.


Moment #3

In my homeroom yesterday, which is a class that has been a challenge to get through to this year, after finishing the last page of Wonder by RJ Palacio, one student asked, "Can we give the book a standing ovation?" And they did. 

If you've read the book, then you know why this is such a significant gesture. This was not just an appreciative response to a great book. It was also symbolic to the main character Auggie's journey throughout the story. Do I need to give them a comprehension test to see if they paid attention to the story? Nope. That moment right there told me all I need to know.

Instead of expressing love for a character, one student has a score to settle

To celebrate March is Reading Month, I always have my students do different activities to remind them of some of their favorite books. I personally think every month should be reading month, but if we're going to set aside just one month, then let's focus on what we love about reading, right?

I'm having my 8th graders write letters to their favorite book characters and then they will put them on their lockers, but one of my students decided she had a score to settle with a particular character and instead chose to vent her frustration.

I was so entertained by her letter that I asked if it would be okay with her if I shared it here. She agreed.

BTW... if you haven't read this book, there are major spoilers in this letter so go read This is Not My Hat before reading her letter.

Dear Big Fish from This is Not My Hat,

You are a mean-spirited and evil fish! The little fish did you a favor buddy. The hat you were wearing was way too small for you. How could you be so mean to Little Fish after you saw how cute he swam? He was adorable and you, I can't even talk to you right now...

You ate Little Fish! Have you no soul man! All Little Fish wanted to do was to look snazzy with a hat (that fit properly). Yes, I'll admit it was wrong of Little Fish to steal it, but it was worse of you to eat him! Now Big Fish, you sit down and think about what you have done.

Please don't get me started about that crab...

- Zoe E.

"I forgot that I might see so many beautiful things"

My students and I have been reading Wonder by RJ Palacio as our class read aloud since January. This week we came to a very pivotal moment in the story that brings out a lot of emotions, within the characters and also within the reader. Communities of readers are built on moments like these.

And despite the fact that my future in the classroom is uncertain right now, and despite my perpetual exhaustion since our Spring Forward on Sunday, it's weeks like this one that reaffirm my vocation and tug at me, reminding me why I'm here in the first place.

Besides the emotional catharsis of reading Wonder together, a couple other reaffirming moments happened in the classroom this week:

Moment #1
Earlier this week I had a dream that one of my students was single-handedly responsible for getting one of my favorite authors/illustrators, Adam Rex, to visit our school. When I told her about this dream the next day, she had this look on her face like she was blown away that she could manage to not only infiltrate my dreams, but that she was also able to carry out such an amazing feat as to get a rock star author like Adam Rex to visit our school. Her reaction to this new knowledge was, "Really? I was in your dream? And I got Adam Rex to come here? I could do that. Do you want me to do that? I'm on it."

Then the next day, this same student approached me and said, "Guess what Mrs. Shaum? You were in MY dream last night. Adam Rex did come to our school and for some reason you were wearing a big curly rainbow wig. But then you got mad because he poured caramel sauce over himself since he didn't want to repeat himself by doing chocolate syrup again, but he got it all over the carpet in the classroom so you were not very happy."

So Adam Rex, I apologize if you get a random email from a 6th grader in Michigan. My dream, accompanied by her own, apparently gave her a mission she feels the need to carry out.

Moment #2
Today the 6th grade Skyped with my friend Kellie who works for Walden Pond Press. When I finally met Kellie in person at NCTE in November, we spent a wonderful dinner together and the one thing that really struck me when she talked about WPP's books is how enthusiastic she was about the titles her imprint puts out for kids. I immediately had the idea that what better way to get kids to want to read WPP's books than to have someone directly from the publisher book talk them.

My instinct was not wrong. Kellie book talked four titles today and by the end of the day, this was the waiting list:

Notice that one of the books has a shorter waiting list than the others. Why is that? Because I was the one who book talked that one. So clearly Kellie is a rock star book talker, but also, I was able to reaffirm that it helps if teachers branch out and find other people and methods to get kids excited about books instead of doing the same thing over and over again. I mean, I've had The Fourth Stall in my classroom library all year, but it wasn't until Kellie book talked it that I had kids clamoring for it. When I talked to the kids after Kellie's Skype visit, a large number of them said, just as I did, that she was an amazing speaker and that she knew how to get kids excited about books. That was music to my ears.



*Title quote from the song "Beautiful Things" by Andain, which is also quoted in Wonder.

a WONDER-ful breakthrough

I'm still amazed at the ways in which the book Wonder by RJ Palacio touches the lives of everyone who reads it.

I'm currently reading this book to both of my sixth grade literature classes, and while one class BEGS me to read everyday, the other class has remained stoic in their emotions about it. They listen attentively and answer questions with pinpoint accuracy during class discussions, but I have yet to really get any sort of emotional response from them.

Until today...

Today was the day I have been dreading because, you see, this was the day where we came to a pivotal part of the story that just happens to be really sad. Like "can't see to read through your tears" sad. And while I've read this book four times already, I still managed to let loose a torrent of tears while reading it in front of both sixth grade classes. My eager class who always begs me to read the book remained stoic in their emotions (or they were just really good at hiding them) while I sat there blubbering through the words on the page. But something magical happened in my usually stoic class: as I struggled to read my way through the sad part, I heard an accompaniment of sniffles and snorts to backup my own tears, along with a few students who got up out of their seats to grab tissues.

It was a moment I will always remember with this class because they allowed themselves to be vulnerable when most of them have spent a great deal of time building up their middle school armor of dispassion and indifference. The only time they generally show emotion is to declare something unjust, unfair, or just plain dumb. Who would've thought that a fictional fifth-grade boy named August Pullman could get them to open their heart and affix it directly to their sleeve.

Make a button, read a button

I don't know if it is across the country, but in Michigan March is Reading Month. So every year we put out a calendar of different weekly reading events. In addition to being World Read Aloud Day yesterday, it was also "Read a button day" at our school. But this year one of our teachers had the great idea to have students design their own buttons.

Here are some of their designs:

Teachers got in on the act too.

 And finally, this one was mine:

YA2U: Bringing Authors to Your Hometown + giveaway

Have you ever wished that a big YA book tour would make a stop in your hometown? Well, here's your chance for that wish to come true! YA2U is a program that features five award-winning and best-selling authors who are holding a contest to see what city they should visit in an exclusive tour stop!

The authors are collecting votes from January 1 to February 15, and any city in the continental US or any Canadian city that has an international airport can win an exclusive visit from all five authors, including an author panel and book signing! Entering is super easy--and if you help spread the word about the contest, you can also enter win a signed copy of all of their books (TEN signed books in total!)--and the book contest is open internationally!

The authors in the program are:

• Marie Lu, the New York Times best-selling author of Legend and the upcoming Prodigy
• Marissa Meyer, the New York Times best-selling author of Cinder and the upcoming Scarlet
• Beth Revis, the New York Times best-selling author of Across the Universe, A Million Suns, and the upcoming Shades of Earth
• Victoria Schwab, author of The Near Witch and the highly-anticipated upcoming The Archived
• Megan Shepherd, author of the debut novel The Madman's Daughter

And they want to have an event in your home town! To participate, just got to the YA2U website and let them know what city you want them to come to. And while you're there, help spread the word about the contest and you can be entered to win all of their books--TEN signed books in total! 

Here's why the YA2U Team should come to MY hometown! 

Ann Arbor is a sophisticated college town full of people who love books and who love to buy from local businesses - they support indie book stores and Nicola's Books is a favorite around here. We have the beautiful University of Michigan and downtown Ann Arbor is full of lots of great restaurants and shops. Not to mention the fact that Michigan has a very large contingent of the #NerdyBookClub who are always willing to come to an author signing and fangirl it up.

Why should the YA2U Team come to your hometown? Why not join in the fun today and share with others about this program and your hometown. The more votes your town gets, the closer you are to having your very own personal tour stop! Vote for YOUR town here!

And if you help spread the word, you can also participate in the book giveaway. Tell them that you learned about YA2U from me and we both get extra entries in the contest! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Final book tally of 2012

I was disappointed I didn't make it to 100 yet again this year. Granted, I read over 300 books when you count picture books, but still. My goal is to always read 100 novel-length books. Anyway, here is my final tally:


93. The Reading Workshop: Creating Space for Readers by Frank Serafini
92. Phantoms in the Snow by Kathleen Benner Duble
91. Bossypants by Tina Fey*
90. My Stroke of Insight by Jill Taylor Bolte*
89. From What I Remember by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas
88. Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral
87. Pray for Silence by Linda Castillo*
86. The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
85. Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans
84. Just One Day by Gayle Forman
83. You Tell Your Dog First by Alison Pace
82. Letter to My Daughter by Maya Angelou
81. Little White Duck: A Childhood in China by Andres Vera Martinez and Na Liu
80. Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead*
79. The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond*
78. Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys
77. Brixton Brothers: The Case of the Case of Missing Identity by Mac Barnett*
76. Fire in the Ashes by Jonathan Kozol
75. The Wanderer by Sharon Creech*
74. Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett*
73. The Third Wheel by Jeff Kinney
72. Book Love: Developing Depth, Stamina, and Passion in Adolescent Readers by Penny Kittle
71. Teen Boat! by Dave Roman and John Green
70. Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo*
69. Penny from Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm
68. Guys Read: The Sports Pages edited by Jon Scieszka
67. Drama by Raina Telgemeier
66. Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick*
65. Swim the Fly by Don Calame*
64. The Trouble with May Amelia by Jennifer L. Holm
63. Jake and Lily by Jerry Spinelli
62. Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson*
61. Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos*
60. Bad Hair Day by Carrie Harris
59. Ten Things Every Writer Should Know by Jeff Anderson
58. Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin*
57. Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen*
56. Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson*
55. Deeper Reading by Kelly Gallagher
54. Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen
53. Love and Leftovers by Sarah Tregay
52. American Grown by Michelle Obama
51. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys*
50. Sugar and Ice by Kate Messner
49. Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
48. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson*
47. Split by Swati Avasthi*
46. The Literature Workshop by Sheridan D. Blau
45. Chime by Franny Billingsley*
44. Blind Spot by Laura Ellen
43. The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy*
42. The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket*
41. Insurgent by Veronica Roth*
40. Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson
39. A Wind in the Door by Madeline L'Engle*
38. Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm*
37. The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler*
36. The Unseen Guest by Maryrose Wood*
35. When She Woke by Hillary Jordan*
34. Blood, Bones, and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton*
33. Cold Cereal by Adam Rex*
32. See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles
31. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare*
30. The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis*
29. Chomp by Carl Hiaasen*
28. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen*
27. Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber*
26. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins*
25. Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri
24. Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink*
23. Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi*
22. Naked Reading by Teri Lesesne
21. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson*
20. What Teachers Make by Taylor Mali
19. Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin
18. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness*
17. The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis*
16. Reading Ladders by Teri S. Lesesne
15. Wonder by RJ Palacio
14. Bad Kitty for President by Nick Bruel
13. The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide by Elisabeth Hasselbeck
12. Classics in the Classroom: Designing Accessible Literature Lessons by Carol Jago
11. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
10. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson*
9. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
8. The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin*
7. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
6. Matched by Ally Condie*
5. Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
4. No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman*
3. This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel*
2. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
1. Our Only May Amelia by Jenni Holm*

*Indicates audiobook

And the Babymouse thief was...

So yeah. This just happened.

The past few months I've been lamenting over the fact that my signed copy of Babymouse has gone missing. I've lectured my students about being more responsible with my books. I've guilt tripped them by saying that these books are for the whole class and it's not fair if someone takes them and/or loses track of them in the black hole that is their locker. I've even resorted to the ever effective, "I won't be mad at whoever has it. Just return it to its rightful place on the bookshelf and all is forgiven." All to no avail.

But Christmas break brings out the organizer in my husband and me, so this evening he decided to clean off the bookshelf in the office that was covered in his tools and put them back in the garage. Upon closer inspection of our newly cleaned bookshelf, what do you suppose is the first thing I noticed?

No words are necessary here...

but I'll use them anyway. Yes, that would be my signed, personalized copy of Babymouse.

I do believe a great big apology to my students and some groveling is in order on the first day back to school in January. But hey, yay kids! Babymouse is back!

A moment like this, I think Babymouse should get the last word, don't you?

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good book!

What was my favorite Christmas present this year? It wasn't a present at all but a moment, one I hope is followed by many more moments like it:

My non-reader husband lying in bed, reading a book

Thank you Carrie Harris for being my husband's gateway back into the world of reading. When you read a passage of Bad Hair Day at your book launch party the humor and expression of that passage piqued his curiosity and made him want to read your books. What it usually takes me a few months with most students has taken me over five years with my husband. I am determined to find him more books just like Bad Taste in Boys and Bad Hair Day - funny, campy, and science-y. That is apparently just what he needs.

He has been telling me for years that he's a slow reader and that's why he doesn't like to read, yet when he picked this book up, it took him less than a week to finish. After recently reading Penny Kittle's Book Love, I used the argument that he's only a slow reader because he's never tried to read to build stamina. Hopefully this picture I took today is a sign that the conversations I have with my students about reading are finally starting to work on my husband. ;)

Merry Christmas everybody! I hope you all found some good books under your tree and that the non-readers in your life found some books they love too!

Reflections of a first day of school

Despite my incredibly stressful week of staffing and schedule changes last week, the first day of school today went off without a hitch. Well, there were some bumps in the road of course as my sixth graders and I got to know each other: awkward silences, uncertain hand-raising, sometimes no hand raising at all,  and there were a few times during our short four hours together that I wondered if I could keep my students occupied until noon. But then something magical happened...

We started talking about books and what we read over the summer.

One student told me about how she read The Wanderer by Sharon Creech and I excitedly handed her my ARC of her latest book that came out today, The Great Unexpected.

Another student enthusiastically told me about the zombie book he read, Rot and Ruin, so I walked over to my bookshelf and gave him my signed copy of Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris and told him, "Don't let the pink cover fool you. This is totally a book for boys. There's lots of falling appendages and black vomit. If you love zombies, you'll love this book."

Still another student came up to me after looking at my science fiction book boxes, showed me a copy of Matched by Ally Condie and asked, "Is this a good book?" After I assured her it was, she then inquired if she could take it home tonight because she didn't want to wait until tomorrow to start reading it.

And suddenly the last half hour flew by. And before I knew it, I looked at the clock and it was past noon. And no one was nagging me that it was time to go home. In fact, when I told them it was time to leave, most of them wanted to stay and keep talking about books.

This got me thinking...

What are we doing in our classrooms to nurture more of this attitude? My job is being judged on whether or not my students can fill in bubbles on a test answer sheet, but how do you evaluate student engagement? How do you measure those joyous moments of learning and discussion that happen in classrooms everyday that most people don't see?

Therein lies the problem. It can't be measured. It can only be felt and experienced, which is why evaluating my job based on test scores will always be a bone of contention for me. I'm lucky that I teach in a school where high stakes testing is not the culture. But it is a way of life for so many teachers and I am angry on those teachers' behalf. When I look at my students I don't see test scores. I see young minds ready and willing to learn. And so much of what we are doing to students in classrooms today in the name of reform is turning these young, curious minds away from learning.

I have to remember that when I look at a student, I'm not looking at a test score. I'm looking into the eyes of children who are begging me to see them and hear them. What am I going to do this year and every year to show them they have been seen and heard?

There will never be another One and Only Ivan

I was devastated to find out earlier this evening from my friend Mr. Schu that Ivan the gorilla passed away today. It is especially sad for me because my husband and I are on vacation in Florida right now and were considering stopping at Zoo Atlanta to see him on our way home to Michigan.

If you have not read The One and Only Ivan yet, I highly encourage you to do so. It's right up there with Charlotte's Web and A Wrinkle in Time in importance to children's literature's literature because it is a book that will stand the test of time.

Rest in peace dear Ivan. You will be dearly missed and your memory will live on in your story.

Book People Unite!

Have you seen this yet? If you haven't, you need to

A Letter to John Green Re: The Fault in Our Stars

Dear John Green:

This is not a book review. This is a letter to thank you for writing one of the most brilliant books to ever grace the literary world.

I spent the entire day reading The Fault in Our Stars yesterday. I never do that. I don't have time anymore. I read upwards of 100 books a year, but it is done so in little pockets of time: listening to audiobooks while I cook dinner, reading as a passenger in the car while my husband drives us to Home Depot, finding a miniscule moment of time in my hectic day as a teacher to sit down at my desk and read a few pages while my students are taking a test.

So when I started to read the first pages of Hazel and Augustus's story on Friday evening, I wanted to stay up all night: I was that sucked into their world. But alas, my body does not allow me to stay up all night anymore, so upon awakening Saturday morning, I continued with their story. I did not move from my chair until I finished.

I don't even know how to express my feelings in words. Hazel and Augustus were real people to me. They were two of the most wonderful teenagers ever to have graced this planet, even if only in the pages of a book. So as their tragic story unfolded, I grieved for them, as I'm sure you did as you wrote their story. As I sat there reading, a pile of sodden tissues in my lap, my thoughts ping-ponged between sadness and joy. Conversations that were supposed to be tragic ended up making me laugh out loud at their light-heartedness and humor. Scenes that would have been cliche and caused me to roll my eyes in any other book made me weep at their tenderness and romanticism.

I planned to write a review for this book. I marked pages. I wrote notes. But the closer to end I crept, the more I realized that this book can't be reviewed. It can't be intellectualized. It must merely be felt. Don't get me wrong, there are so many great moments worthy of discussion in any book club or literature class, but to sit here, only 24 hours after turning the final page? All I can do is marvel.

In my 32 years on this earth, I have yet to declare one favorite book. When people ask, my students especially, what my favorite book is, I always tell them, "I have lots of favorites. I can't choose just one." Today and from here on out, whenever anyone asks me what my favorite book is, I can tell them, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it is The Fault in Our Stars. So thank you John Green. Thank you for Hazel and Augustus and Isaac and for all of the other amazing characters to grace this brilliant story. When I turned the last page yesterday, I grieved. Not just for the characters and for the end of the book, but also for the fact that I don't know if any book I read from here on out will ever live up to this one. You have made my reading life from this day forward a much more challenging endeavor. So thank you for that.

Favorite Books of 2011

I read so many great books this year that I couldn't narrow it down to ten. So here are my favorites divided into categories.

Favorite Young Adult Fiction:

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
This book seems to be on everyone's favorites list for the year. The characters were intriguing, the story unique, but honestly, my favorite part of this book was the setting. Prague is a beautiful and creepy city, the perfect place to write a beautiful and creepy novel.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
Beauty Queens is a hilarious romp with  marooned beauty pageant contestants who just survived a plane crash. The hilarity in this book is almost palpable, yet Bray manages to give this novel substance as well as humor. The audiobook is narrated by Bray herself and not only is she the most successful author/audiobook narrator I have ever had the pleasure of listening to, she also one of the best audiobook narrators period.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
While everyone raves over the dystopian tour-de-force that is Divergent, I preferred Delirium ten times over. Lauren Oliver's prose is magical, her story-telling masterful. If I could have the talent of any writer, I would wish for Oliver's. The way she weaves words, sentences, and stories together is like nothing I've ever experienced before.

Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris
I have said this many times before, but it bears repeating: I hate zombies. They totally creep me out and I don't like being creeped out (despite the fact that I like the creepy setting in Daughter of Smoke and Bone). But Carrie Harris managed to write a non-creepy zombie novel with Bad Taste in Boys. In fact, it was funny, sassy, and campy. Words I never expected to use when describing zombies. If Libba Bray were to write a zombie novel, I imagine it would be similar to this one. Having met Carrie at her book launch party this summer, and still correspond with her, I can tell you that her personality comes right through in this book. She is so much fun to be around.

Shine by Lauren Myracle
No only does Myracle write a compelling mystery in Shine, but she uses it as a springboard to start a conversation about hate crimes and the bigotry that still runs rampant in small town America. I still vividly remember one of the final scenes in this book. It's a story that will haunt you even after you finish it.

Where She Went by Gayle Forman
*Sigh* Oh how I love Mia and Adam. And the fact that I can even remember their names this many months later tells you how much this book should be on my favorites list. I'm one of those readers who forgets almost everything about a story after I read it. But Mia and Adam? Probably one of the most perfect couples to ever grace the literary world. If I Stay is one of my favorite books of all time and so when Where She Went came out, I was so excited to get the chance to spend some time with Mia and Adam again. I know Forman has said that she's done telling their story, but I so wish that we could have one more romp with them.

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
So I know that Revolution was published in 2010, but I had to include this book on my 2011 favorites list because it was by far my favorite book I read (listened to) this year. The story was so unique and the musical aspect of the main character's story was just so compelling that it was like nothing I'd ever read before. I loved this book so much that I was CONVINCED that the classical composer that Donnelly created was real and went to look up some of his music at the library only to discover that he didn't exist. I was so invested in his being real that it was like the wind was knocked out of me when I discovered he was a creation of the author. 


Favorite Middle Grade Fiction

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
This book has a quiet power to it. The story is a modern retelling of The Snow Queen, and Anne Ursu writes in such a way that the magical elements weave seamlessly into reality.

Pie by Sarah Weeks
Even though I gave this book three stars on Goodreads and I still remain dubious about certain aspects of the story, this was still one of the most enjoyable books I read this year. Reading it with a group of kids who beg you everyday, "Can we please read more of Pie today?" probably didn't hurt adding this to my favorites list either. 

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Hidden Gallery by Maryrose Wood
In this second book in the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series, Maryrose Wood shows how well-suited she is at writing middle grade fiction - and humorous middle grade fiction at that. I can't tell you how many times these books have made me laugh out loud. Though Katherine Kellgrine's audiobook narration certainly helps add to the hilarity of the story.




Favorite Graphic Novel

Bake Sale by Sara Varon
Given the title of my blog, it's no secret that I love books that revolve around food. So when you get a talented artist like Sara Varon and a book that revolves around food as characters? Sound like a book Beth will love. And it was!







Favorite Nonfiction

The Kitchen Counter Cooking School by Kathleen Flinn
I haven't reviewed this book yet as I only finished it a few days ago, but when you read my thoughts, they will be glowing. Whatever Kathleen Flinn writes, I will read. Not only is she a gifted story-teller, but she also writes about food in such a way that always made me want to put the book down, go in the kitchen and whip up something delicious. She makes cooking feel accessible rather than insurmountable, which is exactly the point of this book.





Favorite Picture Books

Teach Your Buffalo to Play Drums by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Daniel Jennewein
All I can say is, I hope this is not the last of the Buffalo books. The sheer hilarity of turning a buffalo into a lovable, cuddly picture-book character is not lost on me. Add Audrey Vernick's unique voice along with Daniel Jennewein's endearing illustrations and you have a recipe for lots of laughter.

Prudence Wants a Pet by Cathleen Daly, illustrated by Stephen Michael King
What's a girl to do when she so desperately wants a pet, but her parents won't let her have one? Get creative. Which is exactly what Prudence does. I love the idea of this story, I love the humor, and I love the way the ending resonates even more. 

Charlie the Ranch Dog by Ree Drummond, illustrated by Diane deGroat
I absolutely adore Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond: her blog, her show, and now her picture book Charlie the Ranch Dog. I think what makes me love this book so much is that I am familiar with Charlie from her show and her blog, and this really is Charlie's story. Given that I can't pass up a good dog book, and that the story so perfectly captures Charlie, it's no wonder why this was one of my favorite books of the year. 

Rah, Rah Radishes! A Vegetable Chant by April Pulley Sayre
Colorful, mouth-watering photographs and a fun, chant about vegetables is bound to get kids excited and curious about eating what's good for them. Couple reading this book with a cooking lesson or two, and maybe we can start changing the paradigm of how kids eat in this country. When you involve kids in knowing and learning about food, they're more likely to make better choices.

Magic Trash by J.H. Shapiro, illustrated by Vanessa Newton
Magic Trash is the story of Tyree Guyton, the man behind The Heidelberg Project in Detroit. As someone who has heard of The Heidelberg Project but never actually gone to see it, this book made me want to drive to Detroit to take a gander. Since I live in metro-Detroit, it's really something I have no excuse for not going to see. What I love about the book is how it explains the inspiration for the project in the first place, which was to detract the riff raff from hanging out in the neighborhood. I mean, what crack dealer is going to want to enter an abandoned house decorated with giant polka-dots?


So those were my favorite books of the year, what were yours?

German versions of some much-loved books

One of the things I wanted to do while I was in Germany was visit a bookstore. I was under no delusions that I'd actually be able to READ these books in German, but it's still fun to figure out which books are which since the covers are generally different.

So while my husband and I visited our former "hometown" of Schweinfurt (we lived there for almost two years), I stopped by a couple of the bookstores in the downtown area and this is what I found:

 
The Ruby Red series by Kerstin Gier


Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney


The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger (Title translation: Yoda I Am! Everything I Know!)


Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King (Interesting that the title is in English)


13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher (Title translation: Dead Girls Don't Lie)

If I Stay by Gaye Forman

And, last but not least, a book so awesome, even Ninjas want to read it...
 
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Title translation: The Tribute from Panem: Deadly Games)
I actually bought a copy of the German version of The Hunger Games, along with Diary of a Wimpy Kid and The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. Will I be able to read them? Probably not, but they'll look cool on my shelf!