EDUC 325 Reading Log

Genre

APA Citation

Diverse
Populations

Saenz, B.A. (2012).

Aristotle and Dante
Discover the Secrets of
the Universe. New York:
Simon & Schuster
BFYR***

Edwards, M. (2004).
Papas Latkes.
Massachusetts:
Candlewick Press

Rating
(1-5
Stars)
5+++

Rationale for Rating &

Critique
This book has easily slipped its
way into becoming one my new
favorites. I absolutely LOVE this
book and everything about it. The
writing, the characters, the story,
and the ending just about had me
on the verge of happy tears and
earned a place in my heart.
Sometimes the shortest sentence
flooded me with feeling. Every
description of Dantes laugh,
every time the boys would call
each other weird, every moment
they spent together it felt like I
was there, experiencing their
friendship and their bond. A MUST
READ!!!

This is the first Hanukkah that

Selma, her younger sister Dors,
and her father are having since
their Mamas/his wifes death.
Every Hanukkah their Mama
would usually make the latkes but
this year Papa buys all the
ingredients for his daughters and
him to make on their own. It
proves to be a difficult and
emotional time for Selma while
she is coping with missing her
and the latkes not coming out like
her mother used to make them. It
is a great book that deals with the
theme of death and losing a loved

Connections to Text,
World, Self

Novel?
Y/N

Throughout the book,

Aristotle and Dante are
exposed and layered,
continually growing more
complex but also becoming
more bare. Their coming of
age story is shown beautifully.
What seems like a simple
story about friendship is a
simple story about friendship,
but there are profound
themes woven in and the
quality of the characterization
is simply breathtaking.
Aristotle and Dante Discover
the Secrets of the Universe
will speak to MexicanAmericans, homosexuals,
tom-girls, book nerds, loners,
etc. Essentially, it will appeal
to everyone whos ever felt
different, whos ever felt like
they werent sure of who they
were. Highly recommended
for all.
I drew personal connections
with this book as it reminded
me of the emptiness felt
celebrating the holidays
without my Abuelita
(Grandma) after she had
passed away with cancer in
November of 2009. She is still
missed dearly and when she
passed away it was very hard
on the family because she
was the rock, or the glue that
held everyone together. I
could definitely understand
how Selma was feeling and it
just made me love the story

YES!!!

Yes

EDUC 325 Reading Log

Pollack, E. (1992).
Whisper Whisper Jesse,
Whisper Whisper Josh:
A Story About AIDS.
Massachusetts:
Advantage/Aurora
Publications

one.
Told with compassion form Jesses
point of view, Whisper Whisper
Jesse, Whisper Whisper Josh is a
valuable book for helping children
bear the hurt of losing a loved
one and for providing information
on AIDS that can dispel fears. The
arrival of Uncle Josh to live with
his family gives Jesse a new hero
to play with and talk to. When he
learns that his uncle Josh has
AIDS, Jesse takes part in the
familys commitment to provide
loving care during a difficult
illness.

even more.
Some sites I f found that
connect with the themes
represented:

Yes

http://booksforkidsingayfamili
es.blogspot.com/2013/06/whi
sper-whisper-jesse-whisperwhisper.html
http://www.faze.ca/issue21/ai
ds_in_africa_2.html
http://science.nationalgeogra
phic.com/science/health-andhuman-body/humandiseases/aids-article/
http://www.healthline.com/he
alth/hiv-aids/how-hiv-affectsthe-body#2

Contemporar
y
Realistic
Fiction

Frank, E.R. (2000). Life

is Funny. New York:
Dorling Kindersley
Publishing***

Rowell, R. (2013).
Eleanor & Park. New

In this novel, the lives of eleven

teenagers intertwine and the
reader gets invested in the
different stories each character
tells and how they all connect in
some way. The situations that
present themselves are realistic
and relatable. The
topics/situations that present
themselves in this book are often
subjects that are often not talked
about such as sexual abuse,
physical abuse, sex, inflicting selfharm, social class, and family
problems. It brings to light all the
things that goes on behind the
surface that we often arent
aware of.
I loved the story and I loved how
real the characters were. It gives

After having read this book it

just makes me wonder how
many people Ive come across
in my life and never seen for
who they really are. It also
made me aware that
sometimes without even
realizing it, we are all
interconnected and whether
small or big, play significant
parts in each others lives.

Yes

Sometimes we cant help who

we fall in love with, but there

Yes

EDUC 325 Reading Log

York: St. Martins
Griffin***

Poetry

a great portrayal of young

teenage love amidst a crazy
world. Eleanor was right. She
never looked nice. She looked like
art, and art wasn't supposed to
look nice; it was supposed to
make you feel something.

is one thing that remains true:

Love makes us do and feel
crazy things. This book
makes you want to go out
there and find the love of your
life who accepts you for
exactly who you are, quirks
and all.

The main thing I took away

from this eerie, beautiful, and
ultimately devastating novel
is that even the simplest of
things can cause a chain
reaction. The smallest of
decisions or actions can have
the biggest consequences
and we need to be weary of
the way we treat others. This
suicide fiction goes to show
the reasons that lead
someone to give up and how
everything can just pile up
and become too much. We
need to mindful before we go
and judge someone and must
learn to form opinions based
on first-hand experience, not
just gossip. It also made me
wonder the roles we play in
others lives. Are we the
protagonist, antagonist,
background character, best
friend or, secret crush in
someone elses story?
http://tylerknott.com/

Asher, J. (2007).
Th1rteen R3asons
Why. New York:
Penguin Group***

Clay Jensen returns home from

school to find a strange package
with his name on it lying on his
porch. Inside he discovers several
cassette tapes recorded by
Hannah Baker-his classmate and
crush-who committed suicide two
weeks earlier. Hannahs voice
tells him that there are thirteen
reasons she decided to end her
life. Clay may be one of them as
he becomes a first-hand witness
to Hannahs pain. While I was
reading I couldnt put the book
down and the way every chapter
was structured with Clays
thoughts and Hannahs voice
through the cassette tapes was so
addicting. Everything and
everyone was interconnected and
it was a heart-wrenching tale.

Gregson, T.K. (2014).

Chasers of the Light.
New York: Penguin

I first encountered Tyler Knott

Gregsons poetry on Pinterest. His
writing just absolutely takes my

http://online.wsj.com/articles/t

Yes

Yes

EDUC 325 Reading Log

Random House
Company

Traditional
Literature/
Folklore

breath away. He has a way with

words that just captures the
beauty in life while
simultaneously bottling up all the
emotions that go into those quiet
moments he describes. He is
quite honestly the best
contemporary poet of our time as
he pours ink like blood onto pages
fighting to say the truth that has
no words.
I finally
understand
that I
do not
write,
I
leak.

yler-knott-gregsons-poetrycracks-best-seller-lists1411060387
Connections to Self: One of
favorite poems written by him
that I identify with the most.
I wondered today if all the
things I am making with my
two hands, my ten fingers, my
one mind, are actually making
me? As I bring more into
existence out of the nothing
that lives around me, are
more pieces of me being
brought to life at the same
time?

San Souci, R. D. (2000).

Little Gold Star: A
Spanish American
Cinderella Tale.
Singapore: Tien Wah
Press

It is a Spanish American retelling

of the familiar story of a kind girl
who is mistreated by her jealous
stepmother and stepsisters. In
this version, the Virgin Mary
replaces the traditional fairy
godmother and the main
character Teresa is blessed with a
gold start upon her forehead for
her kindness. What I liked most
about this version of Cinderella is
that the evil stepmothers and
step sisters also go through a
character change and that in the
end they come to realize that she
is blessed.

This story, well known in New

Mexico and the Southwest, is
adapted from tales of Spanish
origin, though it has roots in
such tales as Cinderella and
narratives collected by the
Brothers Grimm and other
folklorists.

Yes

Long, Laurel. (2003).

Stunning illustrations strikingly

This Grimm fairy tale in also

Yes

EDUC 325 Reading Log

The Lady & the Lion: A
Brothers Grimm Tale.
New York: Dial Books

Fantasy

enhance this retelling of a

Brothers Grimm fairy-tale of love
and devotion between a beautiful
tender-hearted young woman and
her enchanted husband who is
cursed to spend his daylight
hours in lion form. My only gripe
is the story itself could be better,
longer and more in-depth
perhaps, rather than having it (or
the action part of it at least) be
condensed as the authors have
claimed they did on the copyright
page.

known as The Singing,

Springing Lark. It is an AarneThompson tale type 425, the
search for the lost husband,
a type that also includes
animal bridegroom tales. The
story also combines Beauty
and the Beast and East of
the Sun, West of the Moon.

Yep, Laurence. (1997).

The Khans Daughter.
New York: Scholastic
Press

In this retelling of a Mongolian

folktale, a simple shepherd must
pass three tests in order to marry
the Khans beautiful daughter.
This book has it all; wonderful
illustrations, a great plot, humor,
romance, and a believable happy
ending.

This book covered a variety of

different themes and subjects,
such as, Asian and Asian
American culture,
determination and
perseverance, just rewards,
and the importance of
humility.

Yes

Riordan, R. (2010). The

Red Pyramid. New York:
Disney Hyperion &
Puffin Books***

This book is brilliantly written and

narrated by two protagonists:
Sadie & Carter Kane, who are
brother and sister. The story
begins with Carter and his father
visiting Sadie in London during
their 2 year visitation rights,
when they go to a museum and
their father blows up the Rosetta
Stone using magic which
accidentally releases 5 Egyptian
Gods: Set, Isis, Horus, Osiris, and
Nepthys. It is up to them to stop
chaos from spreading as they
learn the truth about their
families past and learn the extent
of their powers as they go forth

The thing I admired most

about this book is that it
brings to life the Egyptian
Gods and Goddesses. While
you become invested in the
story, you simultaneously get
invested in the life and times
of Ancient Egypt and its
history.

Yes

EDUC 325 Reading Log

Riordan, R. (2011). The

Throne of Fire. New
York: Scholastic Inc.***

Hawes, L. (2006).
Mutis Necklace: The
Oldest story in the
World. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin
Company

on the path that destiny has set

forth for them to make everything
right.
In this continuation of The Kane
Chronicles we find Sadie and
Carter battling to keep Maat in
order and Chaos at bay again.
This time they are faced with the
challenge to rise Ra (the sun god,
and the god of order) before
Apophis (the god of chaos)
escapes. One cant help but
become invested in the main
characters and root for them as
they deal with things with way
beyond their maturity level. They
become mentors and learn that
was is right is not always easy,
and that what is easy is not
always right.

Muti, a girl in Egypt, has a

beautiful necklace, and a family
who loves her very much. When
she grows older, she works at the
palace and is called to lead the
rowers on the Pharaohs boat.
When her necklace falls in the
water, Muti refuses to row until
her necklace is returned to her.
The Pharaoh, (who is a very
attractive man for a picture book
character) after getting over his
anger, decides that she is strong
and graceful and brave, wants to
marry her. Muti refuses, choosing
to go back to her own life. This
book was very interesting and
positive. I enjoyed the

This series contains a lot of

Egyptian Gods and Goddesses
mentioned during the
readings and by giving them
human characteristics based
on their personalities, they
become very real. I also drew
connections in this story to
another series of books I read
called The Inheritance Cycle
by Christopher Paolini in
terms of similar themes and
mention of everyone having a
secret name. This secret
name has the power to gain
control over someone, and is
the combination of all a
person is, their identity, and
their collective experiences. It
made me wonder what my
secret/true name would be
and what it would say about
me.
This book is based on one of
the three Tales of Wonder in
the Papyrus Westcar, a
collection of the oldest written
stories in the world. But in
this story, the author gives
Muti her own story changing
the original. This ties into
what we were learning in
class the author day and the
ethics behind historical
fiction. In the end it is fiction
but the fact that this isnt
accurate in a way hinders it
quality. But overall in is a
good story and the
illustrations are so rich, deep,
and beautiful.

Yes

EDUC 325 Reading Log

Science
Fiction

Card, O.S. (1992).

Enders Game. New
York: Tom Doherty
Associates***

Roth, V. (2012).
Insurgent. New York:
HarperCollins
Publishers***

characteristics of the lead

character Muti. She stayed true to
herself and family. She did not
forget where she came from and
through it all her determination
and loyalty to retrieve her
necklace kept her strong minded.
I came to know about Enders
Game through one of CABs
movie nights here at La Fetra last
year. I thought the movie was
beyond amazing and when I
learned that it was based on a
book, I knew I just had to read it.
What sold me as a whole was the
main character Andrew Ender
Wiggin and his overall character
development. When an author
can sell me on their characters, to
the point that they almost
become real to me, thats when I
know its a great book. This is one
of those stories that you cant
help but be totally invested. You
feel empathy for Ender, get angry
at the injustices, and rejoice in his
victories. Hes so human and
Orson Scott Card beautifully
captures all the aspects of what
that means.

Resources:
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit
/endersgame/
http://hatrack.com/research/t
eachers/britt_kaufmann/index
.shtml
https://www.prestwickhouse.c
om/samples/205072.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=yrqYm6jRGwQ
What is right isnt always easy
and what is easy isnt always
right. But what is right?
Thats up for us to determine
and thats the biggest lesson I
took away from this book.
Also the price of sacrifice.

Yes

EDUC 325 Reading Log

Informationa
l/ Biography

Kennet, D. (2008).
Pharaoh: Life and
Afterlife of a God. New
York: Walker &
Company

Boyce, N.P. & Osborne,

M.P (2009). Magic Tree
House Research Guide:
Leonardo Da Vinci.
New York: Random
House***

This book covered many aspects

of Leonardo da Vincis life
throughout the years and is a
great resource. It included the
Mona Lisa, Leonardos notebooks,
the Renaissance, his inventions,
and at the end a list of famous
people from the Renaissance who
were either close friends with
him, or inspired by him. He was
not only a dreamer, scientist, and
artist, but also a genius who was
way ahead of his time.

Nonfiction Books:
Amazing Leonardo da Vinci
You Can Build Yourself by
Maxine Anderson
Leonardo da Vinci by Diane
Stanley
Leonardo da Vinci for Kids:
His Life and Ideas by Janis
Herbert and Carol Sabbeth
Leonardo da Vinci: The
Genius Who Defined the
Renaissance by John Phillips
Permanent Leonardo exhibits:
Getty Museum, Los Angeles,
California
Web Sites:

Yes

EDUC 325 Reading Log

www.bbc.co.uk/science/leonar
do
www.cybersleuthkids.com/sle
uth/Science/Inventors/Leonard
o_Da_Vinci/index.htm
www.enchantedlearning.com/i
nventors/page/d/davinci.shtml

Pickels, D. E. (1998).
Egyptian Kings and
Queens and Classical
Deities. Hong Kong:
Chelsea House
Publishers***

Historical
Fiction

ODell, S. (1960).
Island of the Blue
Dolphins. Illus. by Ted
Lewin. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin
Company***

Although this book offers some

great resources it was quite
difficult to read. One would need
to have had prior lessons on the
Egyptian deities and a guide of
how to pronounce the names. I
feel as though a family tree was
needed in order to connect all the
kings and queens. Along with this
I really have no idea why the
author thought to put Roman
Deities into this book too. If
anything I would have thought
they would have put deities from
the Egyptian culture.

Bierlein, J.F. Parallel Myths.

New York: Ballentine Books,
1994.
Bunson, Margaret. The
Encyclopedia of Ancient
Egypt. New York: Facts On File
Inc.,1991.

The character overall does

develop because of the
circumstances she is faced with,
but overall I felt like the plot
wasnt all that exciting and it
didnt have me anticipating what
would happen next. Other than
that it has great historical
significance and it gives an
accurate portrayal of life during
that time. I could definitely see
this book being utilized in the

This novel is based on the

true story of Juana Maria,
better known to history as
"The Lone Woman of San
Nicolas Island," a Nicoleo
Indian left alone for 18 years
on San Nicolas Island, one of
the Channel Islands off the
California coast, before being
discovered in 1853.

No

David, Rosalie and Anthony E.

A Biographical Dictionary of
Ancient Egypt. London: B.A.
Seaby Ltd., 1992.
Grimal, Nicolas. A History of
Ancient Egypt. Oxford, U.K.
and Cambridge, Mass.:
Blackwell Publishers, 1992.

Yes

EDUC 325 Reading Log

classroom.

Kimmel, E.C. (2014). A

Taste of Freedom:
Gandhi and the Great
Salt March. New York:
Walker Books for Young
Readers

I thought this story was a

heartwarming tale and I could
really feel the emotion behind the
words that were written and the
illustrations. They just evoked so
much respect and awe of the
Great Mahatma Gandhi and what
he meant for the people of India. I
would definitely use this book in a
classroom, especially when
discussing social activists.

An old man in India recalls

how, when he was a young
boy , he got his first taste of
freedom as he and his brother
joined the great Mahatma
Gandhi on a march to the sea
to make salt in defiance of the
British law. It also provides
some facts about Gandhi and
the Great Salt March on the
last page of the book that can
be used a great resource.

Yes

Shaw, J.B. (1937). Kaya

and the River Girl.
Singapore: Pleasant
Company Publications

This book is a part of the

American Girls collection and tells
the story of Kaya, a Nez Perce
Indian, who become jealous of a
girl from another tribe until they
are forced to work together in a
dangerous situation. This book
has themes such as jealously,
friendship, and setting aside
differences in order to work
together to do the right thing. It is
a great short story that provides
moral and also historical
background on the Nez Perce
Indians and their ways of life.

Includes historical notes on

Indian trading along the
Columbia River in 1764, as
well as instructions for
creating a petroglyph.

Yes