Ella Enchanted

This afternoon was the first time Katerina's book club met. (Well, we did a little organizational thingy a month ago, but this was the first time discussing a book.) We had chosen Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine.

(Quick confession: Kat and I didn't finish the book. But we WILL! And we still all had fun!)

The girls and the moms really liked the book. It is a fairy-tale re-telling / revision of the classic Cinderella story, but with a few twists. Ella, the main character, was given a "gift" by a fairy when she was born--to always be obedient. Unfortunately that means that any command she is given, be it pick up your shoes or go jump in a lake--she has to obey! Will Ella break her curse?It's a great read.

We first talked about the book; the girls told their favorite parts and then we talked about some of the characters. Then we played a game--which was really just Simon Says, but the girls pretended to be Ella, who had to obey everything they were told to do. They had to twirl, curtsy, stick out their tongues, act like chickens...they loved it! Then they drew pictures of Ella at the ball in the final chapters of the book. I read to them what her dresses looked like (there were three balls) and the girls drew whatever they wanted. Their pictures were really cute! Last, the girls decorated white cupcakes (there is a character in the book who is forever asking for white cake).

All in all it was a fun time, and Katerina had a blast. She was so excited right before book club and it was even better when Jeff took the boys and left so it was just me and her.

The next book we're reading is From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg. Another goody. And this time Kat and I WILL finish by the time we meet!!!

Back to work!!

Okay, I have neglected this list for several too many weeks, so it's back to work! for me.

This weekend, I am going to finalize the book club I have been wanting to get off the ground for Katerina and I. We already have a few friends who have said they would commit, it's just a matter of DOING it now!

So, any suggestions for chapter books for girls (K-3) to read with their mommas?

What's YOUR frog??

two minutes well spent:

http://www.eatthatfrogmovie.com

Readin'

Just finished The Midwife's Apprentice. I've got a couple other books from the library to work on my Newbery goal, since I can't seem to get focused enough to start anything else right now!!

# 28: Get Photoshop Elements 7 and learn to use it

Another birthday present--this time from my sweet Mama and Daddy. Thank you so much!

#34: Get a New Camera

Happy birthday to me! Jeff surprised me with this schnazzy new camera for my birthday. Am I a lucky girl or what?? Now I just need an uninterrupted week to play with it and learn all of its features (good luck to me there)!

Newbery Winner List

When I glanced through this list while making my goals, I thought I had read 19 of these books. However, I want to be able to comment on everything I read, and I found that there were some I could not even remember! So I'm re-reading some and reading the rest as I can...I'll say that, to start, I have actually read 14...and even a couple of those I am stretching it!

Books I have READ; my commentary, if you care to know....

2008 - Laura Amy Schlitz. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village
2007 - Susan Patron. The Higher Power of Lucky
2006 - Lynne Rae Perkins. Criss Cross
2005 - Cynthia Kadohata. Kira-Kira
2004 - Kate DeCamillo. The Tale of Despereaux
2003 - Avi. Crispin, the Cross of Lead it was okay...not my favorite from Avi, but a good adventure that a boy might like
2002 - Linda Sue Park. A Single Shard
2001 - Richard Peck. A Year Down Yonder
2000 - Christopher Paul Curtis. Bud, Not Buddy really like this one; Curtis is a great author. His book, The Watsons Go To Birmingham-1963 is one of my all-time favorites that I used to love teaching to my 8th graders.
1999 - Louis Sachar. Holes another really good one. The movie, of course, didn't do it justice. The book is 99.9% always better than the movie.
1998 - Karen Hesse. Out of the Dust
1997 - E.L. Konigsburg. The View From Saturday I know I read this within the last couple of years, but I can honestly say I don't remember that much about it...so...meh. REread.
1996 - Karen Cushman. The Midwife's Apprentice A quick read and a sweet tale about a girl who rises above what life dishes...
1995 - Sharon Creech. Walk Two Moons another one I know I have read, but don't remember the details. REread.
1994 - Lois Lowry. The Giver an interesting novel to teach. I like this one...it makes you think
1993 - Cynthia Rylant. Missing May eh; it was a'ight
1992 - Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Shiloh Kat really liked this one. We read it together for book club
1991 - Jerry Spinelli. Maniac Magee I remember REALLY liking this one. I'll have to REread this too and see if Mitch would like it...
1990 - Lois Lowry. Number the Stars
1989 - Paul Fleischman. Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices
1988 - Russell Freedman. Lincoln: A Photobiography
1987 - Sid Fleischman. The Whipping Boy
1986 - Patricia MacLachlan. Sarah, Plain and Tall I really liked this one. Very quick read, but poignant.
1985 - Robin McKinley. The Hero and the Crown
1984 - Beverly Cleary. Dear Mr. Henshaw wow...I read this soooooo long ago. Like when I was in third grade and on a Becerly Cleary kick. I remember thinking it was pretty boring.
1983 - Cynthia Voigt. Dicey's Song
1982 - Nancy Willard. A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers
1981 - Katherine Paterson. Jacob Have I Loved I read this as a teenager and remember feeling so sorry for the "unloved" sister
1980 - Joan Blos. A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-32
1979 - Ellen Raskin. The Westing Game this is another staple for teaching 8th graders. a silly mystery with lots of fun characters to keep track of
1978 - Katherine Paterson. Bridge to Terabithia two words: so. sad.
1977 - Mildred D. Taylor. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
1976 - Susan Cooper. The Grey King
1975 - Virginia Hamilton. M.C. Higgins, the Great
1974 - Paula Fox. The Slave Dancer
1973 - Jean Craighead George. Julie of the Wolves
1972 - Robert C. O'Brien. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
1971 - Betsy Byars. The Summer of the Swans
1970 - William H. Armstrong. Sounder
1969 - Lloyd Alexander. The High King
1968 - E.L. Konigsburg. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler I read this in 7th grade for my reading class, and then happily discovered it again a couple of years ago. What kid hasn't thought of running away? And these two do it up right!
1967 - Irene Hunt. Up a Road Slowly
1966 - Elizabeth Borton de Treviño. I, Juan de Pareja
1965 - Maia Wojciechowska. Shadow of a Bull
1964 - Emily C. Neville. It's Like This, Cat
1963 - Madeleine L'Engle. A Wrinkle in Time
1962 - Elizabeth George Speare. The Bronze Bow
1961 - Scott O'Dell. Island of the Blue Dolphins I really liked this as a kid and REread it recently. There is something fascinating about living on an island all. alone. AND it's based on true events!!
1960 - John Krumgold. Onion John
1959 - Elizabeth George Speare. The Witch of Blackbird Pond
1958 - Harold V. Keith. Rifles for Watie
1957 - Virginia Sorensen. Miracles on Maple Hill
1956 - Jean Lee Latham. Carry On, Mr. Bowditch
1955 - Meindert DeJong. The Wheel on the School
1954 - John Krumgold. ... And Now Miguel
1953 - Ann Nolan Clark. Secret of the Andes
1952 - Eleanor Estes. Ginger Pye
1951 - Elizabeth Yates. Amos Fortune, Free Man
1950 - Marguerite de Angeli. The Door in the Wall
1949 - Marguerite Henry. King of the Wind
1948 - William Pène du Bois. The Twenty-One Balloons
1947 - Carolyn S. Bailey. Miss Hickory
1946 - Lois Lenski. Strawberry Girl
1945 - Robert Lawson. Rabbit Hill
1944 - Esther Forbes. Johnny Tremain
1943 - Elizabeth Janet Gray. Adam of the Road
1942 - Walter D. Edmonds. The Matchlock Gun
1941 - Armstrong Sperry. Call It Courage
1940 - James Daugherty. Daniel Boone
1939 - Elizabeth Enright. Thimble Summer
1938 - Kate Seredy. The White Stag
1937 - Ruth Sawyer. Roller Skates
1936 - Carol Ryrie Brink. Caddie Woodlawn
1935 - Monica Shannon. Dobry
1934 - Cornelia Meigs. Invincible Louisa: The Story of the Author of Little Women
1933 - Elizabeth Lewis. Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze
1932 - Laura Adams Armer. Waterless Mountain
1931 - Elizabeth Coatsworth. The Cat Who Went to Heaven
1930 - Rachel Field. Hitty, Her First Hundred Years
1929 - Eric P Kelly. The Trumpeter of Krakow: A Tale of the Fifteenth Century
1928 - Dhan Mukerji. Gay-Neck, the Story of a Pigeon
1927 - Will James. Smoky, the Cow Horse
1926 - Arthur Chrisman. Shen of the Sea
1925 - Charles Finger. Tales from Silver Lands
1924 - Charles Hawes. The Dark Frigate
1923 - Hugh Lofting. The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle
1922 - Hendrik Van Loon. The Story of Mankind