Book List

KPHS is taking on a new project.  What started as trying to find some books on a particular subject, has become a spreadsheet of books on various topics dealing not only with Japan, but also other parts of Asia too.  I see this being a fantastic resource and would love to hear your ideas and suggestions to add to it. Perhaps we can expand it to other areas and subjects as well.  Please contact us with your additions or comments.

Summer Reading

It's that time of year again! The school year is winding down and summer is fast approaching. Have you picked out your summer reading yet? Are you aware of the programs that are out there that reward your child for the books they read this summer? This week I learned of some great programs and tools to help encourage reading.

You can sign up now and start logging your minutes for the Scholastic Summer Reading program: Reading Under the Stars. They are looking to beat last year's reading record of 176,438,473 minutes! This reading challenge runs May 5 --- September 5, 2014. Scholastic also has age appropriate reading lists to help inspire your child to read something new.

It looks like the MWR Library page is up and running to begin registration for their summer program too. It officially kicks off June 15^th and runs through August 15^th. Even if you are not here this summer, you can still log your books/minutes and pick up your prizes when you return.

I know everyone knows about movie trailers and how excited we get when new movies are being released. Did you know there are book trailers too? These are too cool! The YMS digital resource site has several links to trailers, but you can also search for them online. In Google, put the title of your book in quotes, then follow it with official book trailer. Pinterest and Youtube are also fantastic places to search book titles. Who knew? If your kids have a creative bug, they can even make their own book trailer. YMS has lesson plans for this too. What a fun alternative to the traditional book report.

With all the e-readers out there today, the MWR library offers e-book rentals from Overdrive, for free. There's an app for that! You can download e-books, videos, and audio books to your computer, i-device, tablet, Kindle, or Nook. You will need to go to the library to get an account created for you. Fill out a digital request at the checkout counter, and you will be contacted via e-mail with your log-on information. (It will be a different site from the above Overdrive site.) I heard back the next day and downloaded my first book that afternoon. The MWR library really is an amazing resource and has so much more than meets the eye. Be sure to stop by to learn about all the tools they have, most offered for free!

Finally, maybe you'll be on a trip this summer or lounging by the pool, not wanting a book. Audio books are a great solution. Listen to your favorite book in the car, on a plane, or in a train. I love audio books for those longer, more difficult reads. It's such a wonderful way to introduce your child to the classics, especially with a narrator they might already know. There are multiple sources for audio books including Overdrive and iTunes. My favorite site is Audible. You can purchase individual titles or purchase a subscription that gives you a new audio each month and a discount on other books.

Here are some other Summer Reading Programs. If you're out traveling, check out the local libraries too, as they might offer something. I know our hometown library does a challenge for In-N-Out Burgers! (That one is always a hit with my kids.) Being overseas, and not having some of these options available, get creative and offer your own challenges. On a homeschool message board, I came across a thread where parents were mentioning their ideas. A penny a page, with a goal towards 2000 pages. Read yourself a Lego set: break up a Lego set and offer awards based on pages, minutes, or books. Someone even randomly taped money to the ends of certain books!
Barnes and Noble

Pizza Hut

Applebee's

Book Adventure

Check out Pinterest for even more incredible Summer Reading ideas!

 

Literature Adventure

The KPHS Yokosuka Literature Adventure will be concluding another year shortly. Our reading list this year has been quite varied, and the kids have really enjoyed it. We met with dragons in Dealing with Dragons, the first of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. We discussed if we'd want to live forever, and at what age, after reading Tuck Everlasting. We discussed the classics and mythology with the Aeneid, only to find that the kids much prefer Homer over Virgil. After the New Year, we read a book that really pertains to us as Americans living overseas, Homesick, by Jean Fritz, the fictionalized story of the author's life in China and her move to the US in the 1920s. As a companion work, the parents were encouraged to read Third Culture Kids by David Pollock and Ruth E Van Reken.

This has been a very eye-opening book and thoughtful read. I had so many ah-ha moments while reading it. For this lesson, we put out a small, informal survey to get an idea of how our group compares with others, particularly those at home in the US. We didn't get as many entries as we would have liked, but the information made the kids think. Some of them realized that growing up overseas makes them different, others didn't see the big deal. Pollock and Van Reken define a Third Culture Kid as someone who "spend(s) a significant part of his or her developmental years outside the parents' culture." I think the biggest impact will occur when these kids move back to the US. I have always found that the reverse culture shock, is so much more difficult to deal with than the initial move. As Ms. Van Reken states in the book:

". . .disappointment was greater because they had always presumed if they could make it 'home,' they would no longer feel so different from others. . . . Friends, relatives, and classmates are shocked at the TCK's ignorance at the most common practices necessary for everyday living. If they were true immigrants, no one would expect them to know all of these things." Pages 227-228

Being in the military world, moving often is common place and moves overseas always a possibility. Summer is approaching and that means PCS season.  Van Reken's comment about being sure to unpack and "plant trees" upon arriving really resonated with me. One can't relax or enjoy life, if you're always looking for that next move. Yes, it can sometimes come faster than expected, but it may not happen for some time either. When I think it about it, we planted our first garden only three years ago. Prior to that, there had always been the thought of why bother, we're just going to move. So yes, she really says to plant trees! Plant something and watch it grow while you're here. Take advantage of all that your host culture has to offer. and perhaps someday you'll be able to return to see the fruits of that tree.  

Do you have any suggestions or advice for a move overseas?  Something you did to help make the transition easier?  What about the "re-entry," how did you deal with those stresses? We'd love to see your comments.

Our Survey Results:

Books, Books and More Books

I am bad, really bad when it comes to books. I LOVE books and always have. I read constantly and usually more than one book at a time--which some people have a hard time grasping. I am currently visiting the US and going crazy with all the books here: discount stores, used book stores, library sales. It's almost too much! I find I can't part with my books either for I enjoy reading them over, and sometimes over. As such, I am also trying to work at instilling this love to my children. Yes, they too love books, but I want them to also love literature. I do think there is a difference. Right now, they too love books, but they haven't quite come to appreciate good literature, even children's literature. As I sit here at the computer on these last days of my vacation, I have been doing a ton of searches on the internet and have found all sorts of fun stuff involving good books.

First, I am so excited to discover that September is Roald Dahl Month. He has always been one of my favorite authors. I have fond memories of my second grade teacher reading us James and the Giant Peach. This was actually one of the first works of good fiction that I was able to get my son to read. He already knew the story from the movie and liked it, but the transformation that took place when he was able to compare the book to the movie. It was like . . .magic! And yes, he did agree that the book was so much better. I am really looking forward to following the activities and having the boys read some new Dahl books in the coming months.

As home schoolers, I see that trying finding literature guides is a common endeavour. I have recently come across a few more sites that might be of interest and include some free literature guides to popular titles. First, there's Glencoe Literature. They have a huge list of guides and seem to be adding new ones. There appears to be a wide range of offerings and for most upper elementary levels and above, everything from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer to A Wrinkle in Time, classics and award winners alike.

A site that I just found today and has a smaller listing, but does include books for younger readers is Kidsreads.com. This site doesn't have guides as such, but discussion questions for book clubs. Another book club site that has quite an extensive listing of books is Litlovers. This site is fantastic! It has all sorts of book info, but from what I have seen the titles are for an older audience, although many classics are included too. I liked this one for in addition to the questions, it also includes book info, a synopsis, and reviews.

Finally, there's Books 4 Boys. If looking for guides is a big question, finding books that boys want to read is even bigger. This site has recommendations by age, author, theme and for all age levels, from picture books to young adult. There are no true guides, but several books do have discussion questions to accompany them. Some of the newer books even have excerpts available.

If you have a favorite book or author, please share. I am always looking for new books to read and share. Happy reading!

Legos as Reading Manipulatives

If you have a beginning or emerging reader, you should check out the pictures at Filth Wizardry of Duplo Legos converted into reading manipulatives. It's worth checking out the rest of the blog too, especially if you have younger or crafty kids. There are some fantastic ideas mostly focusing on arts and crafts.