Research Design: A must have for scholars

Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches by John W. Creswell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is a must-have for budding scholars who need to know the format of a quality research proposal. I'm at the end of my program, so there are many lessons that are presented in this book that are review for me. I wish I had this book when I began my program because it clears up many of my initial questions. For example, there is a section that clarifies the Research Problem versus the Research Questions, a line that I had a hard time differentiating when I started this doctoral journey. Not only will I be using this in this class, but I will pull it out for proposal and dissertation, and likely recommend it to my future students.

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Graphic Novel: Persepolis, Learn about living in Iran

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've started thinking about how graphic novels could be used with high school students who think of themselves as non-readers. They are perfect because the text is supported by a picture, which helps them create a movie in their head about the story.

The problem I often have with graphic novels is that the text is just not complicated enough, or themes are too needlessly violent to justify in school. This graphic novel is a work of art with meaningful text that teaches extremely important truths.

In Persepolis, the reality of living in a war-torn nation from within a modern family is highlighted. By showing it through the eyes of a child, Satrapi reclaims innocence for her people, who are so often feared and hated by Westerners. Even within a nation at war, there are good people. There are little children who are forced to mature way before their time. There are families that risk everything to support friends and loved ones. There is sacrifice and loss and devastation and pride and courage and inquiry and all sorts of other "ands" that reveal the complexity of the history of and people in Iran. I loved this book. Where's a grant application?

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Dreamland by Alyson Noel

Dreamland by Alyson Noel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My students have fallen in love with Alyson Noel's The Immortals series. In that series, a family dies in a car accident and the oldest child, Ever, survives. She finds out that she's been given a potion for immortality by her soul-mate. However, the rest of her family didn't survive. Most notably, her 12 year old little sister Riley. Riley makes a few appearances int he Immortals series, but she is explored much more in depth in her own Riley Bloom series. It is aimed toward younger readers, 11-15.

In previous books, Riley has needed to cope with being dead and make the decision to move to the Here and Now. When she gets there, she's given the job of being a Soul-Catcher, helping lost souls cross over. Unfortunately, she's a little too gung-ho, seeking out jobs that she's not assigned. Although she is ultimately successful convincing dangerous ghosts to cross over, the Council decides she needs a break. Instead of taking the time to spend painting or surfing, Riley decides to seek Dreamland, where she can enter a living person's dream. Trouble comes when she decides to sneak into Dreamland outside of open hours. Escaping a nightmare situation, Riley finds that she must stop being motivated by selfishness in order to grow up.

Young girls who talk about wanting to grow up, or who are interested in life after death might enjoy this book. I'd recommend Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin or Heaven is For Real by Todd Burpo if students love it because of the life after death theme. If they like the coming of age theme, check out Melody Carlson books.

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Life of Pi- Yann Martel

This book has been on my to-read list for many years, as it was recommended by a fellow teacher. When it was made into a movie, I was almost enticed again to pick it up. For some reason, I always put other books ahead of it in my reading priority list. View the trailer here:

 

 The book starts out slow, in my opinion, going through an exhaustive explanation of Pi's childhood. Long story short, Pi's father owned a zoo. Pi was also conflicted with and at peace with three different religions.

When Pi's father sells his zoo and decides to move the family to Canada, the ship is sunk in the middle of the Pacific ocean. Pi proceeds to tell the story of his survival aboard a ship in the company of a Bengal tiger, hyena, zebra, and an orangutan. The story is fanciful yet realistic enough to almost be believed. The reader is led to take this as the true story until the end, when he offers an alternate story where each animal represents a person that was on the boat. In either story, the facts remain similar. This is the reason that this book has been used in schools, and the subject of much questioning.

 One can read this book as a thrilling survival story that builds on the young zoo-keeper's son's knowledge of vicious predators. Or, it could be read as a tale of symbolism that hides the brutal truth of a murderous situation. Either way, it presents the reader with an opportunity to consider two main questions.

 First, one might consider this book as a commentary on religion. What do Hindu, Christian, and Muslim religions share in common? Can a person simultaneously practice all three? Why or why not? What are the reaction that others have when Pi attempts this? Furthermore, considering various aspects of his tale, the reader can find religious themes even in his time in the Pacific. For example, the mysterious algae island could be read as religion itself and the carnivorous tree as religious men of authority, while the meerkats could represent the general populace.

 Equally, the book could be considered as a commentary on survival. Pi is a vegetarian, but his ordeal forces him to confront the bestial part of himself. At what point does instinct need to overcome custom when life is in question? What is justified in the face of such danger? In both versions of the story, Pi admits to cannibalism. Does this make him any less worth of admiration as a survivor?

 Although the book is a bit of a slow read in places, the questions that linger after the reading are what make this book worth reading.

The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen

The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I reserve fives for books that truly give me an emotional response. This book is a must-read. My eyes brimmed with tears and my heart swelled with pride for the young lady that shows courage and selflessness.

When I see an amputee, I often don't know how to react. Should I look? Should I avoid looking? In both Jessica and Rosa, the author shows that it isn't about whether we look at the physical disability, but instead, it is about the person inside. This book is not only a testament to Jessica's experience with losing a limb, but it is also about the power of a community binding together for a cause that matters. Making a difference can start as a bake sale and grow to something much more.

This book is ranked up there with Sharon Draper's Out of My Mind. Go buy this book and read it now. Seriously. Now.

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Quinn Loftis, Grey Wolves 1-4

Our school has kindles that teachers and students can check out. The Grey Wolves by Quinn Loftis is one of the offered series. I finished reading books 1-4 last week. My rating for all four are 3 stars out of 5, because they are filled with grammar and usage errors that made me cringe. In a published book, I expect the editor and author would do a better proofreading job. But, I do love a paranormal romance, so I will continue on with the series. Prince of Wolves In this book, we meet Fane and Jacque, an Alpha wolf and his future mate. She doesn't realize her werewolf heritage, and he doesn't know how to tell her. When he finally does, they resolve to be together. Unfortunately, female wolves are in high demand. A local Alpha wolf decides to challenge Fane for the right to claim Jacque as his mate. Filled with sappy romantic notions and snarky teenage commentary, I would recommend this book to teenage girls who are into supernatural romance. Blood Rites Once a wolf claims his mate, he must perform a ceremony with his intended. This ceremony includes biting each other and swapping blood. Gross, right? Just as Fane and Jacque are preparing to complete this ritual, she gets in a terrible car accident and is then kidnapped by another wolf who wishes to claim her. This book has more action than Prince of Wolves, and offers a much better storyline with brand new characters. Just One Drop Jacque and Fane don't get to have all the fun. In this book, we hear more about Jacque's friend Jen. It turns out that there is more to the inappropriately loud and obnoxious girl than what it first seemed. This book picks up where the last left off, building a relationship between Jen and another wolf. Out of the Dark Jen and her wolf don't get to live happily after either, this time, Jen is kidnapped. At the same time, Decebel is cursed, taking large chunks of his memory out. The pack must unite to restore what was lost for both of them. There's also an interesting revelation that involves Sally, the third member of the American friend trio. She is as complicated as her friends, inciting the wrath of a certain hateful witch. I don't want to reveal too much in my little summaries, because that ruins the fun. The benefit, I think, of this series is that it is easily digestible to a teenage girl. The language is definitely aimed at the 12-20 age range. There's a fair bit of interest in blood and sex, so steer clear of this for the more conservative kids. It is tastefully done, or as much as can be for what it is. It isn't too graphic about things, more that it is implied and discussed, much like what teenagers actually do in their table-talk. After students read this series, I'd probably recommend they read LJ Smith, Maggie Stiefvater, or Richelle Mead. From there, students can transition to Anne Rice and then challenge themselves with Bram Stoker.

Reading Resolution

Most years my resolutions usually resolve around the typical weight loss and health goals. Each year I also make another goal that many people don't. I set a reading goal. Last year, for example, I set a goal to read 200 novels in the year. In November, I had already met that goal and decided to challenge myself to read 220. This year, I'm upping it five books to make a grand total of 225. Wish me luck. My biggest reading resolution this year is to write about what I'm reading. I occasionally write a review, but I'm not regular about it. I post it on goodreads, but then I don't crosspost it on my blog. This year, I aim to change that. After all, consuming a large amount of books is only part of the equation. If I hope to encourage others to read, I have to tell what I find so great about the books I read, right? I can't just selfishly keep it to myself. For those people who know me in my real life, they know I've got a reading suggestion for everybody. I know how to figure out a good thing to recommend to people are based on their likes and dislikes. This has served me well as an English and Reading teacher. But there are many friends that I don't see in person anymore. There are many un-met friends that might want to know what I think about the books I read. After all, the best advise often comes from personal reviews and responses. I trust them. I hope that some people will come to trust me too. So here's the goal for this year: blog about my reading journey this year on a regular schedule. I'm going to commit to posting something new two times a week, every Monday and Thursday. Join me on my Reading Adventure this year!