Christina

=Book Log=
 * # || =Book Title= || =Author= || =E, JR, C= || =Date Completed= ||
 * == 1 == || Elvis and The Underdogs || Jenny Lee || JR || Summer ||
 * == 2 == || Kelsey Green Reading Queen || Claudia Mills || E || Summer ||
 * == 3 == || Charlie Bumpers vs. The Teacher of the year || Bill Harley || JR || Summer ||
 * == 4 == || Jack Gets a Clue The Case of The Loose Toothed Shark || Nancy Krulik || E || 9-8-15 ||
 * == 5 == || I Survived September 11 || Lauren Tarshis || JR || 9-18-15 ||
 * ~ ==** 6 **== || Fortunately the milk || Neil Gaiman || JR || 10-7-15 ||
 * == 7 == || Dork Diaries tales from a not so Dorky Drama Queen || Rachel Renne Russel || JR || 11-28-15 ||
 * ==8== || Silverwing || Kenneth Oppel || JR || 11-17-15 ||
 * 9 ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * ==10== || Go For The Goal || Fred Bowen || E || 12-29-15 ||
 * ==11== || Guinea Dog 1 || Patrick Jennings || JR || 1/6/15 ||
 * ==12== || Hiding out at the Pancake Palace || Nan Marino || JR || 2/20/16 ||
 * 13 ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * 14 || Pictures Of Hollis Woods 👻👍🏻👍🏻 || Patricia Reilly Giff ||  ||   ||
 * 15 || Flora and Ulyssus || Kate Dicamillo ||  ||   ||

Mrs. Palmieri recommends...
1/19/16
 * ==#== || ==Book Title== || ==Author== ||
 * ==1== ||  ||   ||
 * ==2== ||  ||   ||
 * ==3== ||  ||   ||
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Dear Mrs. Palmieri,

I have not read The Lost Treasure Of Tuckernuck Yet. 😕 So far I really like the book Hiding out at the pankace Palace😍. It is very good. At the end Of the book I think that everyone will find out that Erin was actuall Elvis and he would have to go back home with his dad and Sher.😏 Right now Me Paige W. Sharkey are reading a book called __The Tale of Despereanx.__ We have not really read a lot so there is not a lot to talk about but there are mice in the story. 🐀🐀🐭🐭🐭. 👻💕❤️💛

Sincerely, Christina Kapodistrias 😺

January 18, 2016

Hi Christina,

I wish I had more time to read at home, but it was funny over this weekend I found myself thinking about __Hiding Out at Pancake Palace__. I was thinking about what would happen next and I'm getting really excited to finish it! This is what happens when I get hooked into a book! I wasn't sure I loved this book at first. At first, I thought Cecilia seemed strange (alright, she IS strange) and I wasn't sure if I would like her as a character. I have found that if you don't like the characters in a book, it can make it very hard to want to keep reading the book.

This happened to me last year when I read aloud my class the MCBA, __The Lost Treasure of Tuckernuck__. Did you read that one last year? The female main character of that book was Laurie, and she was quite unlikable! She was snobby, kind of nasty, and altogether kind of tough to tolerate. It took a little while but class and I really go into the story and soon I better "understood" why Laurie acted the way she did. We liked the book so much, we decided to immediately read the sequel, __The Magician's Bird__. Reading that was easy because we already knew and understood the characters. Do you find that you like to read sequels or books in a series because she kind of already know a lot about the characters?


 * Feel free to tell me about a character in the book that you just read/or are currently reading**


 * Back to Cecilia- so at the beginning she seemed strange, but now I find myself feeling sorry for her. She is lonely and kind of an outcast. I'm sure it's not easy to be her- and it definitely feels like she really wishes she had friends. On page 125 it says, "It wasn't like Cecilia wanted to be friends with Natalie. All she wanted was to wave and have them wave back." It's such a simple thing- you don't realize how much it might mean to someone just to be friendly towards them.**


 * What are your thoughts on our read aloud?**


 * Your friend,**
 * Mrs. P**


 * 1/4/16**
 * Dear Mrs. Palmieri,**


 * Right now I am done with my book Guinea Dog. I am starting to write my book talk. I really enjoyed reading the book Guinea Dog. For me it was a very entertaining book. Before I started reading the book I thought that Rufus ( the main character of the story) was going to end up getting a dog and returning the guinea pig but instead Rufus kept the guinea pig.**


 * I like how at the beginning of the story Rufus's dad had a huge list of why he did not want a dog one bit but by the end of the story Rufus's dad changed his mind about all his hatred of dogs and other pets and he started to like it more. The Guinea pig acted so much like a dog that it learned tricks. I really recommend that you read the first Guinea Dog book of the series.**


 * Right now I am starting a new book that my bro Jason suggested for me called The Name Of This Book Is Secret. I noticed that you had the book in your class room. So far I have only read about 2-3 chapters.**


 * Sincerely,**
 * Christina Kapodistrias :) :) :)**


 * January 3, 2015**
 * Hello Team 7-**


 * Welcome back from vacation!**


 * I found myself thinking about our new read aloud during this break. I always get excited when I'm reading a new book out loud to my students that I also haven't read.**


 * Several of you were talking to me about your book talks before we left for vacation. I know specifically people were wondering about how to figure out a book's "theme" or "author's message". This sometimes feels like it will be hard, but might not be as tricky as you think. Think about what the author is trying to teach you, the reader, through the story; what big life lesson do they want you to know. One of the themes in __Silverwing__ is teamwork, or believing in yourself.**


 * What do we think might be the message in __Hiding Out at Pancake Palace__? Let's think about what we know so far. Elvis is cutting off and coloring his hair- something he is famous for and he has to hide away from the world because of this embarrassing thing. I wonder if the message might be something about "being true to oneself" like don't be pretend to be something else, be who you want to be. I'm also wondering if Elvis really wants to be this famous star- or is this something his dad really wants? Again, since I'm reading this with you guys I'm just guessing (speculating)**


 * I don't think we know as much about Cecilia yet- but I predict she and Evis (Aaron) are going to help each other in some way. She wants to find out if the trees sing- he likes to sing. **


 * Guess we will read more and find out!**


 * Your friend,**
 * Mrs. P**


 * 12-8-15**
 * Dear Mrs. Palmieri,**
 * I think that reading __The little house on the Prairie__ is a great idea I have never read one but I have heard good reviews on it. I almost finished reading the book __Go for the Goal.__**
 * For my book talk book I'm reading __Guinea Dog.__ So far I have read only 2 chapters but from what I read it seems good. Its about A kid named Rufus really wants a dog but his dad has a huge list of why he does not want a dog at all but instead of a dog Rufus's mom gets a hamster.Have a great week.**


 * Sincerely,**
 * Christina**


 * December 6, 2015**
 * As Christmas approaches, I often like to reread some favorite holiday themed books from my own childhood. When I was your age and a little younger, I loved to read __The Little House on the Prairie__ series. These wonderful stories are from the childhood of the author, Laura Ingalls Wilder, as she grew up in the late 1800s in places like Wisconsin, Kansas, and eventually the Dakota Territory (today South Dakota). This time of year can be so busy and crazy and I always enjoy seeing how simple this pioneer family made their holidays. Sometimes we get so caught up in "buy, buy, buy" or " I want" that I really like reading these descriptions of the simple food and presents that they had and the happy holiday they created as a result. Here is a quote from fifth book in the series called,**
 * By the Shores of Silver Lake. Chapter 19 "Christmas Eve"-**


 * "It had snowed all day and soft, large flakes were still falling. The winds were quiet so that snow lay deep on the ground, and Pa took the shovel with him when he went do the evening chores. **
 * "Well, it's a white Christmas," he said **
 * "Yes, and we're all here and all well, so it's a merry one," said Ma **
 * The surveyors' house was full of secret. Mary had knitted new, warm socks for Pa's Christmas present. Laura had made him a necktie from a piece of silk that she found in Ma's scrap bag. Together in the attic, she and Carrie had made an apron for Ma from on of the calico curtains that had hung in the shanty. In the scrap bag they found a piece of fine, white muslin; Laura had cut a small square from it, and secretly Mary had hemmed the square with her fine stitches and made a handkerchief for Ma. They put it in the apron pocket. Then they wrapped the apron in tissue paper and hidden it under the quilt blocks in Mary's box." **


 * Descriptions like these really help me imagine what it would have been like to make gifts like Laura and her sisters did. Life was very different then.** *But when you read the descriptions of the family making and eating their meals and celebrating, it makes you as teh reader feel like maybe life isn't that different after all.

When I want to read these books, I usually pull out my little paperback set of all the books that I bought in book order when I was a student teacher. I was recently excited to discover __A Little House Christmas Treasury: Festive Holiday Stories__ was published. This is one book that contains all of the holiday stories from the author's different books. Perfect!

I hope you have a wonderful holiday with your family.

Your friend, Mrs. P

December 1, 2015 Dear Mrs.Palneiri,

I really liked the book the book Silverwing. I thought that Shade would find his father.I thought that Goth and Throbb would both stay alive but Throbb did not. I did end up finishing Fortunately the Milk it was really good and creative. Right now I'm reading a book called Dork Diaries. It is a really good book so far. :)

November 27, 2015 Hi Christina-

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We finally finished __Silverwing__! What did you think? Were you surprised that Shade didn't find his father or that Throbb died after being struck by lightning?

I see that you mentioned you abandonded Hiding Out in Pancake Palace. That was one of the MCBAs that I was thinking that I could read out loud to the class. Did you end up finishing Fortunately the Milk? Have you been reading anything else independently?

November 3,2015 Dear Mrs.Palmeiri,

Right now I am reading an M.C.B.A. book called go for the goal. So far it is about two boys named Aidan and Josh who make it to a team called The United. The United is a really good team and when Aidan and Josh made it they were really exited. The first few tournaments they played they did bad they lost every time. one Game Josh scored a goal. His team was very proud of Josh. I predict that at the end of the book that Josh and His team will win their last competition.

Sincearly, Christina Kapodiastrias

October 5, 201a Dear Mrs.Palmeiri,

Right now I think we should read an MCBA book. I did also abandon a book twice I abandoned an MCBA book from last year called when life gives you O.J. I also abandoned an MCBA book from this year called Hiding out at the Pancake Palace. Right now I am reading two books I am reading Fortunately the Milk so far its a funny book but I have not finished yet and I am also reading Dork Diaries. I also did finish I Survived many parts were sad especially the part were the jet hit the buildings and many people were in it :(.

Sincerely, Christina Kapodistrias :)

October 3, 2015 Hi Christina,

Thanks for writing me back. I'm glad that you are enjoying listening to __Silverwing__. It was kind of crazy when the author revealed to us that Cassiel was indeed alive! Right now do you think we should read __Sunwing__ next or an MCBA?

I am trying to get back to reading __Elvis and the Underdogs__. I see from your book log that you read it this summer too. I had started it this summer and kind of abandoned it. I hate to abandon books and I always try to go back and finish reading them. Sometimes when I do that, the second time I read it and I read it a little more I get really into it! Has this ever happened to you? You know how Benji is so small and sickly,** *this reminds me of Shade. Benji's mother is also very overprotective of him and smothers him like Ariel does to Shade. I wonder if when I start reading again if Benji will kind of break away from his mother like Shade did?

What are you reading right now? I see you just finished __I Survived__- was it sad?

Your friend,

Mrs. P

September 30 Aloha Mrs.Palmeiri ,

I predict that in the end of the book Shade is going to find his father the author got me interested when it said that Cassiel was still alive.I noticed that the author made lots of cliffhangers in the book.After the book ends I predict that Shade, Cassiel, and Ariel will all be back home and happy. I really enjoy reading the book Silverwing.

Your friend, Christina :)

September 10, 2015 Dear Christina,

I am so excited to be sharing __Silverwing__ with you this year as a read aloud. This is definitely one of my all time favorite books, which is probably why I can’t imagine starting a school year without sharing it with my class. *The genre of this book is definitely fantasy since I don’t believe that bats and owls have wars or detailed adventures together. I also consider this to be a genre of my own invention- called Animal Adventure. I love the character Shade; he’s one of my all time favorites. *If I could talk to Shade, I would ask him if he thinks it was worth it to break the law and see the sun, especially after what happens to his colony as a result. What do you think of __Silverwing__ so far?

Your friend in reading,

Mrs. Palmieri J