M.s. M! ( Sarah Masters)Carnegie – 2012 the end….
June 19, 2012 — M.s. M! ( Sarah Masters)Last Wednesday the TDA Carnegie Reading Group voted for their favourite illustrated book on the Greenaway shortlist and their favourite book on the Carnegie Shortlist.
Amazing results – and I actually agreed with them this year.
See our results video!
Imagine our surprise when I was able to reveal the official results on the next day – not only had our favourite book won – it had won both awards!.
I hadn’t this mainly because I had discounted the beautiful illustrations as I had read “A Monster Calls” on my Kindle App which only includes the cover illustration. (Another downside of e-books!). I think I’ll re-read “AMC” but borrow a real book to enjoy these in context. That’s if there are any left on the shelf to borrow!
Carnegie Long List – continuing the challenge to read them all….
June 12, 2012 — M.s. M! ( Sarah Masters)I’m setting myself the challenge to read all of the books on the long list before the winner is announced. 52 titles in 6 months. That’s 2 a week….. I’d better get reading!
Since my last post I have read….
Sky Hawk by Gill Lewis
I really liked this book, and as my 9 year old is obsessed with bird watching / Springwatch etc I have passed it straight onto him. I am just wait for the wailing when he reaches the sad part in the middle of the book. This saddness isn’t really resolved in the remainder of the story and this is the books downfall. But a good read for all those bird and nature fanatics.
And that’s it I’m done! The announcement of the winner comes out this week – and I dread “Everybody Jam” winning and hope that Patrick Ness walks away with it again with the fantastic “A Monster Calls”. Our Carnegie group will be doing our own vote before the announcment so I’ll report back.
I am really looking forward to next years long list – it made me read some really good and surprisingly really bad books this year, and now I feel kinda lost!
Books I’ve read so far….
Carnegie Long List – continuing the challenge to read them all….
May 17, 2012 — M.s. M! ( Sarah Masters)I’m setting myself the challenge to read all of the books on the long list before the winner is announced. 52 titles in 6 months. That’s 2 a week….. I’d better get reading!
Since my last post I have read….
“The Midnight Zoo” by Sonya Hartnett
A well written book that despite being an ‘easy read’, leaves a sense of “What just happened?” I’m not convinced I’ve worked out what the ending meant for the characters – I have several theories and am a bit disappointed that resolution is so absent. I am looking forward to discussing my theories with my reading groups!
my last one to read is Sky Hawk by Gill Lewis – just as soon as a student returns it to the MRC!
Books I’ve read so far….
Carnegie Long List – continuing the challenge to read them all….
May 10, 2012 — M.s. M! ( Sarah Masters)I’m setting myself the challenge to read all of the books on the long list before the winner is announced. 52 titles in 6 months. That’s 2 a week….. I’d better get reading!
Since my last post I have read….
There is No Dog by Meg Rosoff
Okay so Meg Rosoff had a good idea – “What would happen if God was a teenage boy?” – the answer is this book. I liked the concept – but the execution was lacking, and the ending rushed and unsatisfying. I usually like Meg’s writings but this fell short for me, perhaps my expectations were too high?
Racism, immigration and asylum issues are all covered in this jam-packed book. Alix is walking her dog on the beach when she sees a man being thrown from a boat and being washed up on the shore. An immigrant and a loner from school, Samir, is there too and he persuades her to help hid the stranger. The story goes at a pace addressing and tackling the big issues. A kind of gritty Enid Blyton ‘let’s get the adults out of the way so we can have an’ adventure book – so unbelievable in places – but a good read nevertheless.
Language of Cat by Rachel Rooney
I loved this book. As the only poetry book on the long list it made a refreshing change. I enjoyed reading them to myself, and reading some aloud to my children. Some of the reminded me of my own poetry, especially those about words and poems and language. Very accessible and a lovely quick read.
Books I’ve read so far….
Carnegie Long List – continuing the challenge to read them all….
May 3, 2012 — M.s. M! ( Sarah Masters)I’m setting myself the challenge to read all of the books on the long list before the winner is announced. 52 titles in 6 months. That’s 2 a week….. I’d better get reading!
Since my last post I have read….
Life: an Exploded Diagram by Mal Peet
I found this book to be educational as well as a good read, having never studied the Cuban Missile Crisis, I know that others, who are more familiar with this topic, found some of the ‘history’ parts to be a bit dry. The overall story is fscinating and provides a glimpse into the impact of changes (internal and external) onto one family. A good read.
This book suffers by comparison. Having read some of the classic historical novels I found this story to be superficial and a poor relation. As a kiddies version it is okay – but younger children might not engage with the plotline and older students would be better off sticking with Plaidy & Gregory etal.
Flip by Martyn Bedford
Flip is about a 14 year old boy called Alex who one morning wakes up in someone else body.It is 6 months since he went to sleep in his own bed and he has to discover who he is using clues from his ‘new’ family and friends. So this strange story continues with Alex/Flip trying to connect with his old life, connect with his new life – and failing to do either of these, and his struggle to understand what has happened and how to reverse it. A bit of a page turner as it is so different and you can’t help wondering what you would do if…., However I found the ending to be unsatisfactory.
Books I’ve read so far….
Carnegie Long List – continuing the challenge to read them all….
April 24, 2012 — M.s. M! ( Sarah Masters)I’m setting myself the challenge to read all of the books on the long list before the winner is announced. 52 titles in 6 months. That’s 2 a week….. I’d better get reading!
Since my last post I have read….
The Dead of Winter by Chris Priestley
An orphaned boy, picked up and taken to an old large house by a previously unknown/spooky benefactor…… where the story ends with fire and flame…. sounds a bit like another book on this list – Anne Fines The Devil Walks, – which I really liked as the twists in the plot were fresh and different. In The Dead of Winter there is no freshness, cliche after cliche is rolled out – madness, shadows, voices and Micheal remains a 2 dimentional puppet. So – not a graet read then!
A quick read, with very little explained on the way (or indeed at the end) it is left up to the reader to try and work out waht IS going on alongside Maya. Whilst this is refreshing and it’s great not to have eveything set out in advance – it does leave some dis-satisfaction. A fairly lightweight book despite its attempts at ‘horror/terror’.
The Memory Cage by Ruth Eastham
Alex’s grandfather is suffereing from altzeimers and so Alex feels it is his responsibility to try and help him to remember and be safe enough to stay in the family home. As he creates a memory book he stirs up the secret history of his grandfather, and his own story (his life in Bosnia). The story pulls all these threads together for a satisfying and liberating ending.
Books I’ve read so far….
Welcome back!
April 19, 2012 — M.s. M! ( Sarah Masters)I hope you all had a restful, if slightly damp, Easter Break.
How many of you have still got some chocolate left? I’ve only a little as I like to munch whist I’m reading and I did a fair bit of reading over the break, (more about that later!)
So on the horizon for the Summer semesters are…..
The Queen’s Jubilee celebrations and of course the London Olympics, here in the Academy we have the Carnegie Shadowing group; the Literary Festival with an author visit; and a possible Year 6 /7 workshop day – watch this space!
Carnegie Long List – continuing the challenge to read them all….
March 29, 2012 — M.s. M! ( Sarah Masters)I’m setting myself the challenge to read all of the books on the long list before the winner is announced. 52 titles in 6 months. That’s 2 a week….. I’d better get reading!
Since my last post I have read….
“The Midnight Zoo” by Sonya Hartnett
As soon as I saw that there was one book on the short list that I hadn’t yet read I finished reading the book I was in the middle of and started this straight away. A well written book that despite being an ‘easy read’, leaves a sense of “What just happened?” I’m not convinced I’ve worked out what the ending meant for the characters – I have several theories and am a bit disappointed that resolution is so absent. I am looking forward to discussing my theories with my reading groups!
Helens’ unique writing style takes a little getting used to – but once immersed you forget that it is slightly different. In fact it is so musical it deserves to be read aloud, and I have done this to listen to the rhythms. This thriller is a little slow to get going but once it is in full flow it is difficult to stop – rather like an avalanche. The ending is a little unexpected – which I liked.
A lovely story for younger readers. With a gritty heart centered on the alcolism of her father, Martha takes on the responsibilityto care for her family. A gentle story of how she copes and how things change. A story that will resonate with many children in simialr circumstances.
Books I’ve read so far….
Carnegie Shortlist announced…..
March 27, 2012 — M.s. M! ( Sarah Masters)With trepidation I opened the envelope from CILIP…..would the shortlist contain the books that I have read and loved so far? Or would it have some of the ‘duds’ on it?
Turns out it’s a bit of a mixture….
What I thought after reading it….
“My name is Mina” by David Almond
I wasn’t a big fan of “Skellig” so when I realised that this was a prequel I was a little apprehensive. However this book is much better than “Skellig”! Based around the life of Mina, a girl who is seen as a strange misfit and is excluded from school, she records her thoughts and her slightly excentric home schooling in her journal. The topics that are covered are at times bizarre at others times thought provoking. A really good read.
What I think now it’s made the shortlist….
It was a thought provoking and a slightly ‘different’ read which gave opportunities for self reflection. It is a standalone from “Skellig” so I should be able to persuade at least some of my reading group to read this book. However it only made it to my “It was okay” category….
What I thought after reading it….
“Small Change for Stuart” by Lissa Evans
A book for younger readers. This story is very easy to read, where strange, magical things keep happening to Stuart when he returns to his ancestors town and he discovers his inheritance in the form of a mystery and some old coins (small change). The story ends well with everyone getting what they deserved, but some of the characters were two dimensional (the ‘girl’ next door for example) and the plot suffers from lack of depth in places.
What I think now it’s made the shortlist….
Can’t say I’m thrilled to see this on the list. It is a nice easy read that is likely to go down well with Primary students, not sure how my more sophisticated year 8’s and 9’s will be enthused about it. Plus it still seems a little ‘lightweight’ against the Carnegie Criteria. Another one from the “It was okay” category!
“The Midnight Zoo” by Sonya Hartnett
As soon as I saw that there was one book on the short list that i hadn’t yet read I finished reading the book I was in the middle of and started this straight away. A well written book that despite being an ‘easy read’, leaves a sense of “What just happened?” I’m not convinced I’ve worked out what the ending meant for the characters – I have several theories and am a bit disappointed that resolution is so absent.
What I think now it’s made the shortlist….
I am looking forward to discussing this book with my reading group. Perhaps they will understand the outcome better than I did! One from the “I really enjoyed” category.
What I thought after reading it….
Another story about grief. (This Carnegie long list is getting really depressing!) This time set in the Australian outback. Danny lost his brother a year ago and no one talks about it, but his sister reveals that she’s pregnant, a so a ’Pommie’ comes to stay to help and during the annual Muster, and a drought that threatens their livelihood events take hold of Danny and help him to accept and move on.
What I think now it’s made the shortlist….
Another book from the “It was okay” category, and I’m really not thrilled to see this book make the list. (What did I miss?) Not sure how I’ll enthuse my reading group to give it a try, as I found it a fairly boring book really – despite the ‘action’ of the muster. My least favourite on the list – so it’s bound to win!
What I thought after reading it….
I read this book last year just after it was published and thought it was a really good read. Action packed and set in such appalling conditions.
What I think now it’s made the shortlist….
However when I read “The Glass Collector” (also on the Carnegie long list) I knew I preferred TGC to Trash as it was more realistic and the poignant ending was more satisfying than the ‘everything turns out okay’ (for a few) ending in Trash. So it is in my “A really good read” category but slightly disappointed that it has made the short list.
What I thought after reading it….
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
Another book that I read last year shortly after publication. I read it in one sitting, I couldn’t put it down (even though it was really late when I finished). It made me cry, it made me wonder, it made me think. It was a fabulous read.
What I think now it’s made the shortlist….
It was in my “Excellent” category and remains a front runner for the overall winner! Absolutely thrilled that it has made the shortlist.
it.
What I thought after reading it….
My Sister Lives on the Mantlepiece by Annabel Pitcher
I really enjoyed this book, and the issue with lack of speech marks was avoided by having all talking in italics, so whilst not normal I was able to read without it being too distracting. The story covers the neglect of the surviving children many years after the death of Rosie, the subsequent breakdown of their parents marriage, alcoholism and the resulting bigotry. An uplifting story of survival, and a satisfying read.
What I think now it’s made the shortlist….
This was in my “An okay Read” category. But on reflection I can understand why it has made the shortlist. The innocence of the narrator just oozes from the pages and may give “A Monster Calls” a run for the top spot!
“Between Shades of Gray” by Ruta Sepetys
What I thought after reading it….
The last one of the Carnegie ShortList and one I had read before the long list was announced. ( I did really well this year!) This was a sad, and at times distressing story about the deportation of those considered to be ‘anti soviet’ in WW2. A story that quite rightly deserves to be told. It gripped me, it shocked me, and in the end this horrific story was a ‘satisfying’ read.
What I think now it’s made the shortlist….
This was in my “really good Read” category, and the realities behind this story will be more widely known and talked about simply because this book has made the shortlist. However the mixture of flashbacks woven into the gritty story make this an excellent read.
Ones that got away….
Books that I had hoped would be on the shortlist….
RSS feed here
mrctda 