Library Sale Spoils

If you know me, you know that I do countdowns for my local library sales.

This week I went to the biggest library sale in my area. Over 50,000 (yes, really!) books were put out for this sale, and boy was it a bibliophile's dream.

Long story short, I bought ninety-seven books.
If your mouth is hanging open, I don't blame you. Even the librarians were impressed.

Let me explain...
I went with the goal of building upon my classroom collection, which I started a few years ago but is still only a fraction of size I hope to have in my classroom come next year. Many people have no idea that the books in a classroom library are purchased out-of-pocket by teachers and that schools don't provide teachers with the books for their classrooms. In the fourth-grade classroom in which I'm completing my student teaching this year, we have more than a thousand books for our students to choose from for their daily reading. They often read 2-3 books per week, which means that we need to have a whole lot of options for them throughout the year! There's no way to predict which grades I'll teach in the future, and my teaching license covers first through sixth grade (and up to eighth for special education), so I've been collecting everything from picture books to more difficult middle grade series. This sale was a great opportunity for me to pick up a lot of books for a much lower price than any online seller or local bookstore can offer.

I didn't go in with a list, but I do have a general idea of which authors are really important for me to have (big names like Andrew Clements and Sharon Creech), and which series are most popular and therefore great for buddy or bookclub reads (A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Warriors, etc.)

That being said, I did buy a few books for myself, so I thought I'd share those here.

The Religion by Tim Willocks

Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James

Eleanor of Aquitaine by Alison Weir

I, Mona Lisa by Jeanne Kalogridis

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory

Needless to say, I have a great stock of books to cozy up with this winter. The sale happens again in March, so I'm already saving my pennies for another round! Do you see any favorites here? Have a recommendation that I absolutely have to look for at the next sale? I'm always up for adding more to my wish list!

P.S. Have a children's book (or two) that you'd like to donate to my classroom library? E-mail me at topshelftext@gmail.com!

Presidential Picks

Happy President's Day! 

President's Day is an interesting holiday because it was originally intended to celebrate George Washington's birthday on February 22, but was moved to the third Monday of February to create a three-day weekend and to widen its scope to include a celebration of all U.S. presidents. I certainly appreciate the three-day weekend, though we have yet to have a full week of classes yet because of all this snow!

I've put together a quick list of presidential picks to acknowledge the holiday, with a focus on the early presidents. Though there is certainly a plethora of literature that encompasses all of our country's leaders, I find that my interest is most peaked by our early leaders and by those who stood at the helm of our country at pivotal points in history.

 If you are a non-fiction, history, or biography-lover, this is the booklist for you!

Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard // I'm not a huge fan of non-fiction literature, but this is one biography that I loved. Not only did I find it easier to access than most historical writing, but I also loved how Millard widened the scope beyond Garfield to include the context in which he lived. Hindsight is 20/20 but it's so interesting to see how the medicinal and scientific advances that were occurring at the time could have resulted in a different ending for Garfield, if only his advisors had made more open-minded decisions. 

The President and the Assassin by Scott Miller // This one is of a similar vein to Destiny of the Republic, which is what landed it on my to-read list. It's the story of President McKinley as he helped the U.S. transition to an industrial economy, and his assassin, Leon Czolgosz. Czolgosz was just one citizen representing the many who were bitterly opposed to the change and felt wounded by a government that was increasingly interested in the wants of the rich rather than the needs of the poor. I'm not familiar with this period in our history nor do I know much about the violent ending, so this is one book that I know I'll learn a lot from. 

John Quincy Adams by Harlow Giles Unger // John Quincy Adams was one historical figure who seemed to have a hand in just about every major event at the start of our country's history. He was an ambassador, secretary of state, senator, congressman, and president. He knew Washington and Lincoln, was there for the War of 1812 and the Civil War, and was a fierce advocate for the rights of the people. This biography has excellent ratings on Goodreads and promises to be packed with historical richness.

The Man Who Saved the Union by H.W. Brands // Ulysses Grant is well-known for his leadership on the battlefield, and for his part in bringing victory to the Union during the Civil War. This biography examines how he was also a skilled and competent president who helped tremendously to stitch the country back together and who was a fearless defender of civil rights. 

With Malice Toward None by Stephen B. Oates // I couldn't curate this list without a book about Lincoln, who is arguably the most well-liked president in our country's history. This biography details not only Lincoln's time as president, but also his early life and how he came to be such a revered figure in our past. It promises to read like a novel, which is something that I look for in historical reads. 

Do you have a favorite presidential read? Leave a recommendation below! 

P.S. Click here to read about my presidential pick from last year. 

P.P.S. Here's another favorite from my history-loving-bestie.

Biographical Picture Books

I write about a variety of genres here on Top Shelf Text, but one thing that's fairly consistent is my choice of fiction over nonfiction when it comes to my bedtime reading material. The same goes for children's literature- I'll pick up anything that resembles a fairytale before I'm drawn to a nonfiction book. I've been changing that tendency bit by bit this year as I learn more about teaching and about development, so I'm making an effort to track down children's books that cover a wider range of topics. Today, I'm jumpstarting that effort with three biographical picture books that recently caught my attention. Not only are these all recently published (so it'll be easy to track them down in bookstores), but they're also about three men who got out what they put in- each one of them had to fight to make their specific dream a reality, and years later we get to learn from their example and be inspired by their dedication!

With Books and Bricks: How Booker T. Washington Built a School by Suzanne Slade // Booker T. Washington had an incredibly determined spirit and ambitions to match. He was one of the last generations born into slavery, and though he was freed before age ten, he had to work extremely hard to secure an education for himself. Washington fell in love with learning and went on to build the Tuskegee Institute. This is a great biography for introducing children to a leader in education and in the African American community. Washington could also serve as a role model for working hard to achieve big dreams. 

The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant // I had never given a thought to the origin of the most famous thesaurus (though I use one often) but stumbled upon this book shortly after its publication and decided to find out more. Not only is the story interesting- Roget organized his thesaurus not in alphabetical order but by meaning- but the illustrations are unlike any other picture book I've read this year. It's an eccentrically illustrated book for sure, but so creative and one that I can see becoming a quick favorite for young fans of reading. It also confirms the fact that biographies need not be boring. Definitely a must-have for your children's bookshelf.

Mr. Ferris and His Wheel by Kathryn Gibbs Davis // This is my favorite of the bunch, simply because I found the story to be so enchanting. When I was little, I always wanted to visit Chicago because it was home to the magical (and at the time, only) American Girl Doll Store. I visited the city for the first time last winter (to see my bestie Allie) and absolutely loved it. It's a unique place and has history around every corner, but the history feels different from the kind that we're used to here in Boston. This book tells the story of one particularly important tidbit from the city's history- the invention of the Ferris Wheel. I had no knowledge whatsoever of the origin of this landmark from the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, but it's a remarkable story of perseverance and creativity, and one that would be great to share with young aspiring inventors. 

I'm on the hunt for more books that can introduce children to nonfiction stories and serve as sources of inspiration! Do you or your child have a favorite famous figure that you think would inspire others too?

Memorial Day Reads

Happy Memorial Day!

To celebrate the holiday and the start of the summer reading season, I've curated a list of books that feature those in military service.

Because we are talking about the military, and that's not something that I have much knowledge about, I'd like to give a little shoutout to my lovely friend Allie over at The Little Prince Project. Allie and have become super close since we met at American University our sophomore year, and have a mutual goal of becoming educators!
 Allie's passion is for civics and military education; I have learned so much from her about our country's history, the Constitution, and the military in the past few years. Allie's blog is an excellent resource for civics education, and I encourage everyone to check it out! (Plus, today she's featuring a book review-- one that might be perfect for your to-read list!)

Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell // My dad read this one and says he would give it 3 stars, mainly because he felt that the truth must have been exaggerated. It may be worth picking up still; in my experience, this sub-genre is hit and miss. It was also released as a movie this year, and I'm one of those people who prefer to read a book before going to see it in theaters.

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien // This is one that I read in a literature class in my sophomore year of college. Before we read it, I guessed that it wasn't going to make it onto my list of favorites; two years later, I can still recall specific sentences that moved me. O'Brien certainly has a special aptitude for words. 

The Good Soldiers by David Finkel // This was required reading for me the summer before I entered college. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. Again, this type of book isn't really my area of interest, but Finkel has such a talent for writing and this story was profound. I passed it onto my brother and it remains one of his favorites. I'd recommend this one most out of any on this list. 

The Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel // As soon as previews for this movie started playing and I realized that it was based off a book, I went looking for it. I'm a huge fan of books about art. It's a pretty long read, and I have to say that I learned more about WWII in general than about the efforts to save the endangered artworks. Still, I think it's important to recognize that every service member contributes to the big picture, and I was proud that I actually finished a non-fiction work from cover to cover, as that's a pretty rare feat for me.

American Sniper by Chris Kyle // This one made it onto my dad's list of recommended biographical books. It sounds like a really interesting story, and it seems like it would appeal to those who are fans of series that are action-packed and full of intensity.

5 Biographical Books For Your To-Read List

This list comes to you courtesy of my dad (Kevin) who, unlike me, is a big reader of non-fiction books. When in a bookstore or looking for books online, I tend to gravitate towards the historical fiction and fantasy genres, so when it comes to these kinds of books my list of recommendations is rather short. I asked my dad to put together a list of five books that he'd recommend to other readers, and you'll find his picks below: 

I found it difficult to commit to a handful of books that I would recommend because as I began to develop a list it revealed my tendency to read mostly biographical material.  Ultimately I approached this as my list of autobiographies and biographies that I found relevant and engaging to read.  What seems to resonate throughout many of these books is how notable it is that the complexity of genius is so often shrouded by serious character flaws. 

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer traces the very intriguing journey of Christopher McCandless from college graduate to his ultimate demise on the Stampede Trail in Alaska. The fact is I would highly recommend anything written by Krakauer. 

  Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson qualifies as a must read based simply on the enormous impact that Steve Jobs and his life’s work has on modern day society. Has it been more than 5 minutes since you last touched a piece of technology whose origins can be traced back to Steve Jobs? 

American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in US History by Chris Kyle is an account of how this Navy Seal sniper came to accumulate more than 150 confirmed kills. The ironic prologue makes this a very compelling story.   

The Big Miss: My Years Coaching Tiger Woods by Hank Haney makes the list because Tiger Woods is, well, Tiger Woods. Around my house that is enough motivation. 

Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot by Bill O’Reilly is a pseudo history lesson that, unlike most in my experience, did not bore me to tears.    

One of the things that I love most about my family is that we are all readers. My brother and dad share most of their books (like father, like son) and my mom and I read some of the same adult literature but really connect when it comes to children's literature. Books are always a topic of conversation in our house, and I'm so glad my dad was willing to curate this list for you all. Thanks daddy!

Do you have a recommendation that you'd like to share? E-mail me at topshelftext@gmail.com.

Reading Resolutions

I know we're already three weeks into January, but I've been taking my time in brainstorming my reading resolutions for the year. I have my personal resolutions of course, but I thought it would be fun to challenge myself in a few different ways when it comes to my to-read list.

Classics Challenge

Which entails finishing at least four classics this year...something that I've struggled with in the past. That's an average of one classic every three months, which doesn't sound too bad considering that I read an average of five books per month. I'm not going to say that they have to be classics that are new to me, because in all honesty when we read these books in school it's hard to turn off your analytical side long enough to enjoy the book as simply a great piece of literature. That being said, I'm compiling a list of possible picks and would love to hear some recommendations!

Biography & Memoir Challenge

For which I'm going to pick two biographies or memoirs of people {living or dead} that I admire. I already know that I Am Malala is going to be one of them. She's an incredible young woman, and I while I know that reading her story will be emotional, I am so looking forward to it. I read Destiny of the Republic in 2012 and loved it. I've never loved a piece of non-fiction so much {except maybe this one} and I'd consider re-reading it for this challenge but that kind of feels like cheating. I'm still brainstorming for my second choice, but I'm thinking Cleopatra might be an option...although I also have a biography of Dante on my shelf waiting to be read...decisions, decisions...

History Challenge

That is, American history challenge. Aside from the type of history featured in movies like National Treasure (don't even pretend that you didn't love it), American history isn't my favorite subject. I'm hoping to find a history book that piques my interest and keeps me interested. I currently am deciding between America Aflame and America's Women, but I'd be willing to hear recommendations for this  challenge too!