Miss T's Classroom.

Below is a video made by some students about books being read in the class. We didn’t have time to completely finish it or view it before the school year ended, but here it is anyway. I think they would have learned a number of things and will notice a range of ideas to develop. So here it is, nice work team.

I have finished reading War Horse today and now I wish I was at school to say, “Who wants to read this next?” I know I just want you all to read it because I am sure you would love it.  It has been sitting on my table at home for a couple of months and I never got around to reading it.  I thought I would interest people like Connor to read it.  After reading it I now know many of you would love this story.  I will have to wait to wave the book around and say “You just have to read this!”  How I wish I had read it earlier in the term.

There are a couple of copies in the Kapiti Library although I notice they are both reserved, although it says one is available. Go and put pressure on Carol. Or leave me a comment and I will drop my copy off to you before you see the movie.

I also discovered today that a movie has been made by Steven Spielberg and it is due for release on January 12th in New Zealand.  I will definitely want to see it, and some of you will too.  But I wish you could read the book first.  I am wondering how true the movie has stayed to the book.   I always like to read the book before I see a movie.  Well usually!  Here is a movie trailer clip.  It captures a little of the book, but doesn’t do the wonderful relationship of horse to horse or horse to person justice.

I have a list so long it would take me longer than 2012 to get them all read. However these are the ones I intend reading over the summer holidays.

War Horse is the one I have started already, it is by Michael Morpurgo.  It was first published in 1982.  It is told from the horses point of view and is about a powerful friendship between an owner and his horse Joey.  It takes place during World War 1.

The second one is Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz. I know this series has been popular with some of my students in the past so I want to find out what they like about it.  It was published in 2000 so it has been around awhile.

Son of Neptune is next on my list.  I read the first one earlier in the month and couldn’t resist buying this one while I was in the book shop.  This belongs to the Heroes of Olympus second series.  It was published in 2011.

This is a rather unusual book that I found out about from some teachers online.  It is a rather large hardback and is a little different from most books.  It contains two stories 50 years apart. One is told in words, the other pictures.  They eventually link. That is all I know until I read it. Published in 2011.

I would also like but don’t yet have sitting beside me a few other books.  One is a graphic novel that I have heard good things about.  Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol.

Our Only May Amelia by Jennifer Holm  is the other book I would like to read when I get it.  It was written a number of years ago, but the author has written a follow up just recently.  So I will need to read this one first!

So…. how about you?   What are your reading plans for the holiday break? I would love to know.  

I do know that Daniel hopes to be reading one of my choices after Christmas has hopefully delivered the book!

On Friday we were able to skype with a new favourite author of ours. We have just finished reading the book, “Because of Mr. Terupt” by Rob Buyea. We all liked it very much. Yesterday we were able to ask Rob the questions the various class members had about him and the book he has written. Even better still, he read us the first paragraph of the sequel which will be out next year. He spoke about how important it is to hook your reader in with a good beginning. Well the sequel has us hooked, from the first paragraph. Now we have to wait until it is published.

I was just seeing if I could find something out about Rob Buyea, click on his name and you will find out what I think is good news!  By the way USA Spring will be our Autumn, 2012.  That’s a whole year away, but worth watching out for, what do you think?

We are about 75% the way through the book Mr Terupt. I don’t know about everybody in the class, but I am loving reading this book. I love the characters and of course Mr Terupt. I like the way situations have developed, relationships changed and things have happened!

What are your thoughts about this book. Your questions? Predictions? Your views? Who do you think is responsible for having Mr Terupt where he is now? Will he recover? What will happen for Jessica, Peter, Luke and the others. Why do you think Rob Buyea wrote this book? What is he getting us to think about?

Below is an interview with the author, Rob Buyea. He is interviewed by a well known adult author, John Irving.

Whitcoulls has released its list of the top 50 books voted for by children in New Zealand.  Click on the link to see them.  How many of them have you read?   What would be your favourite one from the list?  What one that you haven’t read, would you like to read?  I would love to hear from the class and from any visitors to our blog.

At the moment one group in our class is in the process of making book trailers, using Photo Story 3.  If you want, you can download that, see the left hand side bar for the site to go to.
Here is a link for you to view ones that students have already done in other schools. Watch some of them and see which ones you think are great examples of well produced book trailers.  Book Trailers.

I am looking forward to what our group will come up with, I know they are nearing completion.  And in actual fact you can view the first one to be fully completed here.   Teegan’s Book Trailer.

Now we have a few more completed.  Here is Simone’s Book Trailer.   And here is Antonio’s Book Trailer.

At present on the  Whitcoulls website  they are inviting you to vote for the top 50 books for Children.  I know many of you love to read and have enjoyed some great books.  Why not spend a bit of time over on the site and place your vote.  There are prizes for some lucky voters, but don’t make that your sole reason for voting.  Do it for the joy of having your say.  Let me know if you do vote and what you voted for.   You have to be 16 years or under, so I guess that counts me out!

We are almost finished reading this book in class.  It was nominated for the New Zealand post book awards this year.  Our Mastermind team read it, and then we thought we would read it as our class book as the beginning really hooked us in with its mysterious beginning.  You can read a summary of the book here.  Des Hunt is a New Zealand author and this is not his first book!  We have at least one other  in the school library.

What was your favourite part of the book?  You might also leave a comment on the link blog, making a response to the summary the writer gives and the recommendation he makes for the age group who might enjoy this book.