In the Woods by Tana French

At the end of July, I finished In the Woods. This suspense-filled thriller is a good read; however, not a book I would recommend to middle school students. And with that - here is the end of this post! I'd much rather post about books we can read together :)

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Yesterday evening I finally finished The Book Thief. This is one of the most intriguing books I have read in a very, very long time. The perspective, the characters, the setting, and the writing style were extraordinary. This book truly offers the reader a learning experience, not only about Germany during World War II, but more specifically it educates the reader on the beauty of writing. The author's writing style is unique and students would be wise to mimic a piece or two of his genius. That being said, I highly recommend this book - especially for my middle schoolers as we study point of view, exposition, characterization, personification, and figurative language. This book utilizes numerous literary elements all while telling a compelling and beautiful story.

Has anyone read Zusak's book I am the Messenger?

Latin Phrases

7th grade Latin phrases: bona fide - in good faith; made with earnest intent; sincere.

From the movie Grease.... "That's a bona fide offer," Danny says to Sandy.

Importance in English: We study Latin phrases in 7th grade language arts as these phrases are frequently used in the English language. Furthermore, they are used in literature and movies!

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

This summer I read two books before finding Chains. This book is classified as historical fiction, my favorite, and is absolutely a smooth and exciting read. Isabel, aka Sal, is sold back into slavery after being freed, albeit briefly, by her previous owner. The setting is the northeast in the 1770s - the Revolutionary War. The book is quite ironic as it details the horrors of slavery in America all while America is fighting for their freedom from England. This is a great read as we follow Isabel through her difficult life. Forge, the sequel, will soon follow.

Importance in English (yes, I'm always trying to remind you why it is important!): irony, history, the acronym aka, and characterization.