Busy, busy

I spent the weekend putting the final touches on the course I'm doing for ALSC. All you tech savvy booktalkers out there, it should be a fun month! I hope you are going to enjoy this journey.

I'm doing 3 workshops over the long weekend. I hadn't planned to do that but NEA NH asked at the last minute and I can never turn them down. So I'm doing two different workshops for them. Then I'm off to Richmond VA for workshops on Monday. I'm really looking forward to it. I am doing my typical tweaking until the last minute so I haven't been able to give them the handouts to copy. A special thanks to Whitney for her patience. I finally got the handout to her today. I'm still tweaking so who knows what the workshop will look like by Monday.

I just want to thank the Red Sox for their contribution the the economy. Sure they could have won last night and swept the Angels. But they are looking out for the little guy. The hot dog vendors and ticket sellers at Fenway. By having the series go one more game, they are helping the economy greatly. But you can win tonight guys!

Today's podcast is for an interesting book by Dori Hillestad Butler. DO YOU KNOW THE MONKEY MAN?

Sam hasn't seen or heard from her father in years. Dad left when Sam was three. Right after the accident. Dad and Sam's twin sister Sarah went out in the canoe. But it tipped over and Sarah was killed. Dad took off and the only time Sam heard from him was a postcard he sent from the zoo. It had a picture of a monkey on it and a short note but nothing else. And now Sam is consumed with finding Dad. She is so desperate, she goes to the local psychic for information. But that was no help. The woman only told her that Sarah was alive. So much for being psychic! So Sam sets out on a journey that she hopes will lead to her father.

http://www.nancykeane.com/booktalks/mp3/butler_do.mp3

Off to Cris Tovani workshop

I am really excited about today. Cris Tovani is in town and our district has arranged for a few of us to have an all day workshop with her today. I would have liked to attend her public event last night but since I am invited to attend today, didn't want to use a seat that someone else could use. A couple of years ago, she had worked with teachers in our district for several days around her work on reading comprehension. Today, Cris is working with us around assessment.

Today's podcast is for Philip Reeve's Larklight. It is pure steampunk -- a genre I adore. I loved steampunk before I realized there was a name for the genre! And I love Reeve's novels.

Reeve, Philip
LARKLIGHT, OR, THE REVENGE OF THE WHITE SPIDERS!, OR, TO SATURN'S RINGS AND BACK! : A ROUSING TALE OF DAUNTLESS PLUCK IN THE FARTHEST REACHES OF SPACE

Art and Myrtle Mumby live with their father in a 19th century manor that just happens to be orbiting the earth. They live a rather prim and proper life and are not prepared when they are invaded by spiders. Not the kind you are used to. These are huge spiders. Fortunately they are able to escape but find themselves on the moon where they are captured by moths. Or it is just too horrible to tell. These things are just too awful to contemplate. You will just have to find out for yourself. Lovers of steampunk fiction should give this book a read.

http://www.nancykeane.com/booktalks/mp3/reeve_larklight.mp3

NHSTE meeting was grand

Last night's NHSTE Annual Meeting was a blast. It started out with a web 2.0 smack down. Lots of cool sites in a very short time. Although the crowd was small on the rainy night, everyone seemed to be enjoying the sites. The dinner was delicious and the after dinner speakers gave us food for thought. Cheryl Oakes and Bob Sprankle from Maine shared their insights on participatory culture. There is no doubt in my mind why they are keynoting at K-12online.

Podcasts added this month include Barry Lyga's Hero-Type and Suzanne Phillips' Burn.

Lyga, Barry. HERO-TYPE

What happens when a nobody with a bad case of acne saves a classmate from a homicidal maniac? He becomes a hero, of course. He is even given a car -- or at least a discount on one. And the car comes complete with Support the Troops ribbons. When Kevin tosses the ribbons because he thinks they are empty symbols, he doesn't know he is being photographed. And now the hero has become the villain who doesn't support our troops. What happened to free speech?

http://www.nancykeane.com/booktalks/mp3/lyga_hero.mp3

Phillips, Suzanne. BURN

The locker room is the worst. The football players just can't get enough of bullying him. Freshman year started out just fine but now it is a total disaster. He does his best to stay out of the way. Camerron has learned which hallways to avoid. Which classes to be late for. Where he can be safe. His friends don't want to be associated with him since it would make them targets too. Cameron isn't even really sure why he is a target. But everyday gets worse. And Cameron is getting angrier. And he feels he is about to explode.

http://www.nancykeane.com/booktalks/mp3/philips_burn.mp3