Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder has a cover reminiscent of the Twilight Series. Which for me is not a selling point. I didn't much like Twilight personally. Of course, I'm all for anything that gets the kids reading and Twilight most assuredly did that.

Cinder is nothing like Twilight though.  I really liked it and managed to gulp it down in a single sleepless night of reading. The premise is that in the far far future, the world has had more wars and a lunar colony exists. Cinder is a cyborg and in virtual slave to her step mother and two step sisters. (Yes, indeed this is a fractured fairy tale.)

Two things knock Cinder out of the status quo. First, Cinder is apparently the best mechanic in the city and this leads to meeting Prince Kai who desperately needs his android fixed. Of course, Prince Kai is enchanted by Cinder and doesn't know she's a cyborg. (Cyborgs aren't considered people in the same sense as those with all their fleshy bits intact) Second, Peony, Cinder's youngest stepsister, gets the incurable plague that overlays the whole plot.

Soon, Cinder finds out just how monstrous her step mother can be.

Cinder is full of intrigue and simmering mysteries that drive the plot. While many of the plot twists were somewhat predictable the writing style is compelling and keeps interest high.  A solid read and I plan to follow up with the rest of the series.

The Five Flavors of Dumb by Anthony John

Yet another discovery in my quest to fill in the gaps on my LD Reading Ladder. And an another great book that doesn't quite fit. Maybe I need to rethink my theme.

The premise of The Five Flavors of Dumb is that Piper, who happens to be deaf, somehow ends up managing a rock band her High School. This is challenging for a number of reasons that have nothing to do with her deafness. I have to admit, I thought this was a ridiculous premise and, as a consequence, didn't expect much.  I was pleasantly surprised.

Of all the disabilities I work with in my job, deafness confounds me the most. It affects a surprising number of people. There is a strong genetic component and as a result there are whole multi-generational deaf families. Many of these people don't view it as a disability and a whole "deaf culture" has sprung up. I have to admit that I have a hard time viewing the lack of an ability that most other people possess as anything but a disability. It's hard to wrap my head about. On the other hand, I don't necessarily view dwarves as disabled just because they "lack height." Disability is a mind-set after-all and who am I to judge?

The reason for this reflection, however, is that functioning in society and the nature of deaf culture is one of the underpinning themes of the novel. On the surface it's about these five musicians, one of which is a complete rancid jerk, being dysfunctional while a deaf girl tries to hold them together. And that's a good story, but the more subtle lines about disability and family are way more compelling.

This book features a strong female protagonist struggling less with her disability, and more with getting to know her own feelings about how she fits into her family and the rest of the world. The plot line is strictly linear and chapters are relatively short. The author is british, which means much of the humor tends towards the dry and subtle. All and all a solid read.

June Progress Report

So, halfway through the year and I've already read 75 of my 100 books. One would think that the summer would be an easier time to get reading done, however, it ends up being a pretty busy time for us. All those projects that get pushed off during the school year back up into the summer.  Speaking of which I really need to start that retaining wall...

A. The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood
B. The Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
C. Xenocide by Orson Scott Card
D. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
E. King's Dragon by Kate Elliott
F. City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte
G. Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman
H. And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
I. The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
J. An Unsuitable Job for a Woman P.D. James
K. Choice Cuts by Mark Kurlansky
L. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee (Finished 6/1)
M. Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery
N. Witch World by Andre Norton
O. The Hurricane Party by Klas Ostergren
P. Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
Q. The Adventures of Ellery Queen
R. Software by Rudy Rucker
S. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.D. Schwab
T. Knights of the Hill Country by Tim Tharp
U. Problems and Other Stories by John Updike
V. Where Three Roads Meet by Sally Vickers
W. Inside Job by Connie Willis
X. Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother: Stories of Loss and Love by Xinran
Y. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (Finished 6/2)
Z. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

And of course pedagogy books (I'm behind by about 4):
1. Writing About Reading by Angelillo
2. In the Middle by Nancie Atwell
3. Reading Diagnosis For Teachers by Barr et al
4. Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning by Buehl
5. What Really Matters in Writing by Cunningham
6. Teaching Adolescent Writers by Kelly Gallagher
7. Write Like This by Kelly Gallagher
8. Strategies That Work by Harvey & Goudvis
9. Mosaic of Thought by Keene and Zimmermann
10. On Caring by Milton Mayeroff
11. I Read it, But I Don't Get It by Cris Tovani
12. "You Gotta Be the Book" by Wilhelm
13. Building Reading Comprehension Habits in Grades 6-12 by Zwiers