book review - Brooks eAcademy

November 20, 2019November 19, 2019

Brooks eAcademy Bookshelf – Genesis Begins Again

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Imagine feeling like no one could possibly love you because of the way you look. Constantly blaming yourself for all the problems that your family has encountered, hoping and wishing for things to change. Then you keep a list of reason why people shouldn’t like you and it is almost at 100. That is the current life of Genesis Anderson. A middle school student who feels she doesn’t belong anywhere.

To make matters worse, her father has messed up again and her family is out on the streets, again. Dad promises that things will be better and they seem to be for the time being. Genesis knows all too well what can happen when she lets her guard down. She becomes the source of ridicule. It always happens. Her grandmother dislikes her because Genesis can’t pass the paper bag test. Her classmates usually shy away when they find out the truth about her family.

Genesis becomes fixated on making things better by trying to change her appearance. But her choice of how to do so could do real harm to her health and her relationships with others. Alicia D. Williams does a great job of making readers feel Genesis’s plan and cheer her on to the road to recovery and acceptance. This book is perfect for students ages 9-13.

April 7, 2019April 7, 2019

Brooks eAcademy Bookshelf – Dragons in a Bag

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A new fantasy fiction book, click here to purchase

In February I signed up for the Just Like Me Box. Each month members are sent multicultural books geared towards the age group of your choosing. I chose ages 9-12 since I work with fifth and sixth graders. As I am always on the lookout for new books to share with my students, I was very excited to receive my first package. When I opened the box to see that one of the books was a fantasy fiction books and included dragons no less, I couldn’t wait to start reading.

Immediately I was drawn in by the title of the book, Dragons in a Bag. I needed to know who has dragons and why are they in a bag?! The author, Zetta Elliott does an excellent job creating suspense in the first page of the book. The main character Jaxon is a smart young man who knows that all is not well with his mother. He can tell by the way she is acting and the fact that she is taking him to a place that he has never been. Things have been hard for Jaxon and his mother since his father passed away. Now his mother that he affectionately calls Mama is now dropping him off at someone named Ma’s house.

Jaxon also known as Jax, is suspicious of Ma right away. So many thoughts are swirling through his head. He has never heard of or seen this person before. Their first meeting does not go ideally. Ma seems to be rude and abrupt. Jax can’t believe that he has to spend any time with this lady. He also wonders how does Mama even know someone like Ma. Then there is the matter of the strange package sitting on Ma’s kitchen counter. If Jax didn’t know any better, he would swear the package was moving!

Elliot continues to unravel a story that draws readers in until the very last word. Not only does she write a story about the exciting world of magic, she also tells an important tale of family love and loyalty. Jax learns that sometimes secrets hurt more than they help and that we must forgive others if we want to be able to move on. Did I also mention that this book is the first in a series? The next book, The Dragon Thief, comes out in October 2019! And you definitely have to read it because Dragons in a Bag ends with a huge cliff hanger. I’ll be chomping at the bit until October!

Do yourself a favor and order your copy of this book right away!

January 21, 2019January 21, 2019

Brooks eAcademy Bookshelf – All of the Above

If you follow me on Twitter, then you know that every other year the school where I work holds an all school read. Students are given a copy of the chosen book, participate in school led activities and the culmination is a visit from the author. This year the chosen book for the all school read is All of the Above by Shelley Pearsall.

The book is based on actual events and set in a junior high school in Cleveland, Ohio. That alone immediately makes me bias as I am Northeast Ohio born and bred. As a Northeastern Ohio resident herself, it is understandable that Pearsall uses the streets of Cleveland as the setting for a few of her books.

The story follows Mr. Collins, a beyond frustrated seventh grade math teacher who is looking for any way to motivate his students. As an educator, I could feel his pain. I have had that moment in the middle of lesson where the faces of the students are blank and you just know that no one is learning. In that moment you want something, anything that will engage your students. In his effort to reach his students Mr. Collins takes the suggestion to enter a contest. That contest becomes building the largest tetrahedron. One so large that it beats records and can land Mr. Collins and his students in the Guinness Book of World Records.

This is a tetrahedron built at Copley Middle School in Ohio

Pearsall does an excellent job of drawing you in to each of the main characters. The students who become members of the “club” to build the tetrahedron are complex characters who on the surface seem like your typical run of the mill teenagers. As you continue on, you realize that is not the case. The “club” becomes an outlet for them as they deal with everything else in their lives. Broken families and dreams that may not materialize are real issues that affect many young people today. It is also one of the reasons that many young people can relate to the characters in this book. Pearsall has created characters that are in your schools and classes right now. Will the club meet their deadline to finish the tetrahedron or will they get thrown out of shape? Pun intended! 🙂 Read to find out!

All of the Above is a must read for you and your students! I forgot to mention that there are also tasty recipes included in the book. Mrs. Pearsall will visit our school this week to speak with students and families. Students have also created their own tetrahedrons. Check my instagram account for updates later this week!

If you are looking to create your own tetrahedron like the one above, click here for directions. You could use a Cricut machine to get a precise cut for your individual pieces.

Until next time, read on! Kandi B