The Best Reader:
fantastic

“It isn't okay to write "smutty" for "smutty's" sake, it is okay to write a little bit racy and still deliver a good story, a story with characters that students can relate to — Shaun Hutchinson did this with 'The Deathday Letter." — Miss Remmers
The clock is ticking... Ollie can't be bothered to care about anything but girls until he gets his Deathday Letter and learns he's going to die in twenty-four hours. Bummer.
Ollie does what he does best: nothing. Then his best friend convinces him to live a little, and go after Ronnie, the girl who recently trampled his about-to-expire heart. Ollie turns to carloads of pudding and over-the-top declarations, but even playing the death card doesn't work. All he wants is to set things right with the girl of his dreams. It's now or never...
Why I read this: The cover really appealed to me. I don't think I even read the (awesome) synopsis until I actually sat down to read it months after receiving it.
Plot: The plot of this novel is definitely one of a kind. The easiest way to describe it is simply saying that the story is set in an alternate reality, one much like our own except 24 hours before you die you receive a mysterious Deathday letter. This it the situation Ollie is faced with — what does he do with the last 24 hours of his life. Even before the first page I was sucked into this novel as a result of the brief prologue (although I don't think prologue is the best word). I found this book to be a complete page turner — a book I read in one sitting.
Characters: The characters of this novel, especially Ollie, are so honest and real. The tone of this novel, because of the strong characters, was fantastic — very much like the tone of "The Duff. " Together, the tone and the characters, made this novel. Ollie thinks, acts, and speaks like a teenager; in the beginning I thought that no one really acted/thought like that... but after consulting the fiance, it turns out that most teenage boys' brains are occupied by two things: sex and girls. Beware: I have never heard of or read so many inappropriate jokes in my life — but this is precisely why my struggling male readers will love this novel: it was written for them.
Cover: Absolutely ADORE!
Random Thoughts: I loved Ollie's Grandma! For such a small character she was developed extremely well.
Final Thoughts: While filled with sex jokes and inappropriate insinuations, this book will be PERFECT for my male students. It's racy enough to be "rebellious" but has a great enough story and, dare I say, moral to be appropriate for school. My girls loved "The Duff" because it was real and honest and my boys will love "The Deathday Letter" for the same reasons. Both of these novels are could be "border-line" school appropriate, but this is due to the honesty and relatablity of the novels. I'm lucky to have such a great school librarian and administration who would put these books on the shelves even if I didn't ask. The question is this: would you rather have loads of books on the shelves that students don't read because they can't relate to the characters and the characters don't sound like them or are you willing to take a risk on a novel that, depending on the school or community, is "questionable" but that the students will devour and still receive a good story? It isn't okay to write "smutty" for "smutty's" sake, it is okay to write a little bit racy and still deliver a good story, a story with characters that students can relate to — Shaun Hutchinson did this with "The Deathday Letter."
*Before reading "The Duff" and "The Deathday Letter" both books were already on our school library's shelves.
Originality: 10/10 Ending: 10/10 Characters: 8/10 Plot: 9/10 My reaction/enjoyment: 9/10 Theme: 9/10 Imagery: 9/10 Setting: 5/5 Voice: 5/5 (AMAZING sense of voice) Style: 5/5 Tone: 5/5 (Tone was absolutely fantastic!) Cover: 10/10 Overall: 94/100 A
To the FTC, with love: Gift

When I saw this cake on Pinterest, it looked simple enough (even for me!) to make! I only needed an occasion. The husband turned 25 on Tuesday (but it's been more of a marathon than a sprint). We've been celebrating since Monday! On Tuesday, when his family came over to celebrate, he asked for a Cold Stone cake. And, being the nonexistent often-try-to-bake baker that I am, I didn't argue. But I still really wanted to at least try, and if it didn't work out — oh well. So Thursday night was his first night back to work at the hospital and Button and I figured this would be the perfect surprise! It looks so easy (Pinterest Link) — it was basically as simple as baking any cake mix (I just used what I had in my pantry) in a round cake pan (I did have to purchase this at Walmart for less than $3) and then covering the cake with frosting (again, any type) and then placing kit kats around the cake, filling the top with M&Ms, and wrapping a ribbon around it. Easy right? But what about for... you know, me?

Well, I'm happy to say that this Pinterest baking adventure was a complete success!!

It really was as simple as it looks! If I can do it — believe me ANYBODY can do it (although, when I got to the bow tying — I did get a bit nervous) . I will let you in on a few "trial by error" tips however:

• I bought a round cake pan (wedding section from Walmart) that was 8in diameter and 2inch depth. This was PERFECT. But, know that if you make the cake from the box (you know, like me) the box says it should make TWO 8in round cakes. Because I'm not making a layered wedding cake and wanted something with a bit more substance, I put about 2/3 of the batter in and it was PERFECT. Otherwise I think it would have been too thing for the Kit Kats
• Speaking of Kit Kats, we bought four packages of the snack-size Kit Kats. You only need three packages for the 8in pan.
• One large bag of M&Ms is perfect for an 8in diameter, 2in depth pan.
• While transporting this cake I was SO nervous because I didn't want anything to go amiss between my house and the hospital (roughly ten miles). While nothing is wrong, I'd recommend NOT transporting this cake (I was so nervous) but if it is absolutely necessary — pray much.

"I can definitely see why my freshmen girls race through these novels." — Miss Remmers

From Barnes and Noble.com...

"Everyone has something to hide—especially high school juniors Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna.

Why I read this: I sat down and watched the first episode of the television show last summer but after the whole teacher/student scene I decided not to watch the rest. Now I'm wishing I had. I thought I'd give the series another chance by reading the book as my students request it on a daily basis.

Plot: I can see why this is such a popular book with my freshman. The plot is fast moving and the hook grabs readers from before the page number one (something many readers need in order to move forward). Uniquely, "the hook" didn't let up through out the novel. Each character had a different story line and a different secret that no one else knew. This variation in narration, I think, aided the novels' level of suspense and kept the reader "hooked." The level of deceit only rose throughout the novel and, of course, the mysterious "A" was forever elusive.

Characters: While I can't say any of the characters were exactly likable, I can say that they are definitely addicting to read about. Each character definitely had their own personality and identity. Shepard did a fantastic job of making each character hate-able but relatable at the same time; as a reader I saw the flaws in each of their actions but at the same time I could see where they were coming from.

Cover: Cute, different, eye-catching, and perfect for the story line.

Final Thoughts: I will definitely continue reading this series not only to find out who "A" is, but to find out how the girls deal with their "issues." I can definitely see why my freshmen girls race through these novels.

Originality: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Characters: 8/10
Plot: 10/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 8/10
Theme: 10/10
Imagery: 10/10
Setting: 5/5
Voice: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Tone: 5/5
Cover: 10/10
Overall: 96/100 A

To the FTC, with love: Purchased

As most of you know, this year I have discovered my love of the audiobook. I listen to audiobooks primarily when walking our very stubborn dog (who refuses to go outside and play in our huge fenced in backyard by himself to do his 'business') several times a day. Our walk takes about 15-20 minutes and audiobooks have really helped pass the time and make this chore seem like, well, less than a chore. However, because I read faster than I can listen, one huge downside to the audiobook is that it takes longer to get into — literally. This isn't because the book isn't any good it's just that without a strong narrator and a captivating start — audiobooks can fall flat.

Tomorrow, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is released in theaters. After seeing the trailer a few months ago I figured I should read the book before I saw the movie. I received the audio via Interlibrary Loan from my library and downloaded it to my phone and began my walk. It's not unusual (for me) to be a bit bored with an audiobook for the first couple walks, but after three days I was still bored! So I started listening to Pandora's "Swingin' Christmas."

I'm not sure if it's just because I love Christmas music or what, but I'm having a really hard time getting into this audiobook! I know the book must be fantastic and I really do want to read it — but I'm just frustrated that it's taking so long for the audiobook to "get good." I think I'll give it two more days (roughly two hours) but after that, I'm going to have to go to something else.

Do you ever struggle with audiobooks for this reason? Any suggestions of great audiobooks that have a fantastic start?

"Not only a page turner, but a 'stay-up-all-night-to-finish' book!" — Miss Remmers

From Amazon.com...

"Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart.
Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan’s violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura’s new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart…and clues to the secret of the Shift."

Why I read this: The cover was definitely a "draw in" for me, plus the synopsis, and the author is amazingly approachable and funny — the recipe of a great read!

Plot: Set in "post-Shift", where anyone born after the Shift can see and communicate with the dead, "Shade" is a fantastically riveting read that intrigues readers from the beginning. The idea alone that the young are so separated from the older generation because of this "dis/ability" is alluring enough when you take into consideration how anyone under the age of 17 today assumes they are so disconnected from my generation or older. The plot was unlike anything I had ever read and I couldn't get enough of it.

Characters: I really connected with Aura's character; I can definitely see why she wants to get rid of her "ability" and I love how persistent she is to find the truth. This novel is so heart-breakingly honest, especially during the trial. My emotions throughout the novel ranged from "Oh my gosh are they really... " and "Oh he didn't... " (at the beginning), to mortification and embarrassment (towards the end), and finally settled at "I need the next book!" (the last page). These characters were so real to me that I felt like I had went on this journey right along with Aura, Logan, and Zach.

Speaking of Zach, he definitely gets my vote (can you say "sweetheart"!). His whole story line was definitely intriguing, page turning, and completely surprising.

Cover: This cover is SO eye-catching and alluring, before even meeting the author or reading the synopsis I knew I wanted to read this book due to the beautiful cover.

Random Thoughts: I'm just going to say... I need the next book.

Final Thoughts: I am so upset that I let this book sit on my bookshelf for seven months. It was so fantastic! Not only a page turner, but a "stay up all night to finish" book! I definitely recommend this novel to readers of all ages who are looking for an exciting read. I love this book so much it'll be my first classroom book talk for the New Year! Definitely read this novel.

Originality: 9/10
Ending: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Plot: 9/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 10/10
Theme: 10/10
Imagery: 10/10
Setting: 5/5
Voice: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Tone: 5/5
Cover: 10/10
Overall: 98/100 A

To the FTC, with love: Received at BEA 2010

"This book was beautifully executed and wonderfully imaginative." — Miss Remmers

Release Date: Sept 2011
Publisher: Doubleday
Challenges: Audiobook Challenge, DAC 2011, 100+ Reading Challenge

"The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead."

Like many others, I picked up "The Night Circus" because someone related it to Harry Potter and "the next big thing." As the first couple chapters progressed, I reminded myself that this would be "like" Harry Potter and I don't think I stopped that comparison until two thirds of the way through the book. In my opinion, "The Night Circus" is very little like Harry Potter. The narrator is fantastic and with his accent it sort of sounds like Harry Potter. The language is beautifully descriptive and the story is flawlessly wound like Harry Potter. But other than that, I'd say this book is in a category of it's own.

"The Night Circus" was a fantastic audiobook but because I didn't know anything about the plot other than it was Harry Potter-esque, I really didn't know where this story was headed. It was hard to hear the changes in perspective and the different plot lines and smaller pre-chapters.

This audio made walking the dog go by so much faster, even in the -15 degree weather! I never really craved caramel like other readers (and I eventually noticed how the caramel smell was almost continually brought up) but I could see the colors (or lack there of) and I could imagine the whole plot playing out.

Overall, this book was beautifully executed and wonderfully imaginative.

-Visit Erin around the web here: Website | Goodreads | Twitter
-BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble | Nook

To the FTC, with love: Library Loan Audio and Bought as Gift

"I'd consider this book one of the best-kept-secret new releases of the month." — Miss Remmers

Release Date: December 27th, 2011
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge, eBook Challenge

"Martyr---otherwise known as Jason 3:3---is one of hundreds of clones kept in a remote facility called Jason Farms. Told that he has been created to save humanity, Martyr has just one wish before he is scheduled to 'expire' in less than a month. To see the sky. Abby Goyer may have just moved to Alaska, but she has a feeling something strange is going on at the farm where her father works. But even this smart, confident girl could never have imagined what lies beneath a simple barn. Or what would happen when a mysterious boy shows up at her door, asking about the stars. As the reality of the Jason Experiment comes to light, Martyr is caught between two futures---the one for which he was produced and the one Abby believes God created him to have. Time is running out, and Martyr must decide if a life with Abby is worth leaving everything he's ever known."

Beginning to read "Replication," I had no idea what what I was getting myself into. I hardly knew the plot line and I hadn't seen it in the blogosphere at all; needless to say, I was a bit hesitant. But soon after starting this book, I couldn't put it down.

I was surprised at how well it was written and how fast I became enveloped and committed to the plot and characters. I finished this book in one day and couldn't wait to tell you all about it because it is so different from anything else I've recently read. Written in a "present day" society where cloning is an underground illegal operation, Williamson did a fantastic job of creating multi-faceted characters and a multi-dimensional plot. While a few of the characters were "similar," they were so perfectly different at the same time!

If I had to say one less than brilliant comment about this book — it would be "the God references." While cloning is definitely an issue of ethics and we couldn't really have ethics without some sense of religion, I sort of felt like that at points "God" and his ethics were sort of just dropped in the dialogue. It reminded me of "Beowulf" and how down the line when this oral tale was being written some monks inserted some religion lines throughout the story. It just didn't always flow well.

That being said, the first time God was mentioned in this book I couldn't help but roll my eyes and think, "Oh no, what's this?" I don't know why that's my first reaction to God being mentioned in a YA novel. I'm Christian, I enjoy Christian music, I attend church, and overall consider myself a "faithful believer." But in YA books so often it comes off as overly pious and apparently I have issues with the overtly pious. In this book, however, the mention of God and God's way was not read as arrogantly pious rather as genuine concern and an honest need of guidance — which was refreshing.

Overall, I'd consider this book one of the best-kept-secret new releases of the month.

What are your thoughts on religion in YA? I think I'm going to blame society for this particular quirk of mine (in regards to my involuntary flinch). I grew up in a "quiet Catholic" community so we didn't talk about our faith and we hardly ever said the word "God" outside of church, Sunday school, and prayers. I think society may have trained me to shun away from the word. Even at work, obviously as a teacher, I am very careful not to bring "the G-Word" up. Whether that's right or wrong, I'm not sure. But I think this "quiet Catholic" attitude has made its way into my reading habits as well. Speaking (or reading) about God is almost taboo it seems. Why is that? Do we train our children for that? Or have things changed?

Also, in case you were wondering:

My fingers are crossed as well, Jill!

-Visit Jill around the web here: Website | Goodreads
-BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble | Nook

To the FTC, with love: eGalley received from NetGalley

"When I think of 'Silence' this is what I remember: a grown woman hiding out in closet-sized Study Room with a book about Fallen Angels and not being able to put it down." — Miss Remmers

Release Date: October 2011
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Challenges: 100+ Challenge

"The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past... bridged two irreconcilable worlds... faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust... and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever."

I read "Hush Hush " two summers ago and "Crescendo " less than a month ago. Between "Hush Hush" and "Crescendo " I lost my enthusiasm for this series. After reading "Hush Hush " I was just amazed and astounded — wanting more! Do to all the other books that needed reading, I didn't get to "Crescendo " until recently. As I opened "Crescendo " for the first time I wasn't really sure how I felt about it. I didn't remember the characters. I didn't remember the plot. I didn't remember Fitzpatrick's created reality. In retrospect, I think that's why I didn't really care for "Crescendo " — I was spending most of my time trying to figure out what was going on.

"Silence," on the other hand, reminded me what I love about this series. While I wasn't as lost as Nora, I loved rediscovering this reality along with her. As her memory returned in fragments and flashes — so did mine! "Silence" is exactly what I needed to rekindle my love of Nora, Patch, and even Scott!

This book was a complete page turner. While at school during my plan period and lunch I kept sneaking away to find a quiet place to read. I felt like I was back (actually attending) at high school again! I found a little study room that was nice, but it's between two classrooms and I was so nervous about being caught! I may (or may not) have even hid out in the staff bathroom during passing time between classes waiting for the other teachers to clear out. Finally, my nerves were spent and I couldn't take feeling like a rebel anymore so I settled for the school library (which isn't nearly as relaxing or quiet). I can't explain it, but I felt as if I were breaking the rules or doing something I shouldn't be when all I was doing was reading! It was the most peculiar thing! It's not as if I didn't get my work done but I didn't want to be chastised either.

Anyway, when I think of "Silence" that is what I will think of: a grown woman hiding out in closet-sized Study Room with a book about Fallen Angels. Like the other novels, "Silence" is fast paced and a book that, right when I had it all figured out, the plot twisted. It was fantastic! I ended up reading it in two days and cannot wait for the fourth installment (I hope my memory holds).

-Visit Becca around the web here: Website | Blog | Goodreads | Twitter
-BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble | Nook

To the FTC, with love: Library Loan

Last Holiday Season I asked for reviews for Christmas and I had a fantastic turn out. This year I'll be doing the same thing (with an updated button, although I might change it). I haven't done it in months, but I really need to get back in the habit of posting guest reviews on a weekly basis. If you're new to Miss Remmers' Review and don't know what a "Guest Review" is, please see this post.

My mission since transitioning from student to student teacher to (finally) classroom dictator... um, I mean loved teacher... has not changed. I love receiving books for review and connecting with bloggers, readers, teachers, publicists, etc, but the purpose of this blog is to supply my students with an abundance of reviews to spark their interests in reading. I can't do this alone.

I know this is a busy season for everyone and there are so many fantastic projects, challenges, etc going on. It doesn't take a lot to become a Guest Reviewer.

Let's break it down (now):

1. Think of your favorite YA book that you think struggling readers would devour.
2. Look at my left side bar. Is it listed?
If yes, please email me and I'll add your review link to the bottom of the post.
If no, fill out the form with a link to your review.

It is basically that easy. Of course, in order to be entered in the contest it does have to be a NEW review to this blog. But basically, if you're a book blogger, it's as simple as copying and pasting the review link from your blog into the form.

Did I say contest? OH I DID!

Submit more than five reviews and be entered to win the GRANDPRIZE: an ARC of Lauren Oliver's "Delirium"

Submit less than five reviews and be entered to win any of the following prizes:

• an ARC of "In the Arms of Mr. Darcy" by Sharon Lathan
• an ARC of "I'd Know You Anywhere" by Laura Lippman
• an ARC of "Take a Chance on Me" by Jill Mansell
• an ARC of "HERO: For One Kid, the Time is Now" by Mike Lupica
• an ARC of "Dreaming in Chinese" by Deborah Fallows
• an ARC of "Emma and Vampires" by Wayne Josephson
• "Sea Change"

Please don't be a Scrooge, share your reviews!

I am "stealing" this from The Story Siren. If you want to find out more about it in my blog. Anyway, these are books I got this week at the bookstore, library, and in the mail, of course. This week was an exciting week for my mailbox. On Wednesday school was dismissed early due to freezing ice, but Button and I still travelled into Sioux Falls on a mission for books (it was pay day). I think we did pretty well for ourselves! I hope you all had a fantastic book week! For Review:

• "When the Stars Go Blue" — Surprise Book from St. Martins Press
• "Everything Beautiful"
• "Notes from the Teenage Underground"
• "The False Friend"

• "Dracula" — from Rosey's Review
• "Supernatural: Season 5" — from Rosey's Review

• "Unbelievable: The Pretty Little Liars Series" (The Book Shop — $4)
• "Just Ella" (The Book Shop — $2)
• "Speak" (The Book Shop — $4)
• "The Giver" (Last Stop CD Shop — $3)
• "The Princess Academy" (Last Stop CD Shop — $2)
• "Return to Paradise" (Last Stop CD Shop — $5)

Apparently a lot. As most of you know, I was married in June and as my blog's title happens to deal quite a bit with my maiden name I was posed with the question: Do I change my blog name or keep it the same?

I've taken polls, asked friends, and contemplated on this idea for over a year (pretty much since our engagement in October 2010). And I am finally prepared to deliver my conclusion. If it isn't already apparent, I will not be changing this blog title for several reasons.

First of all, I love the alliteration. Maybe it's just the English teacher in me, but "Mrs. Urbanec's Reviews" just doesn't have as catchy-a-sound to it. I considered playing around with it: Urbanec's Utopian Reviews (completely senseless) or Mrs. U's Reviews (a bit of assonance rather than alliteration). But overall, I just like the title of my blog.

Next, I've been to BEA twice and a few other conferences. Not only have I handed my business card out to several different publishers, agents, bloggers, authors, but I have about 300 business cards left! While they weren't SUPER expensive, I feel like I'm not in a position to throw them away at this time financially and order new ones.

With that, I need to consider that this blog has been around for two and a half years. While I don't have a huge outreach of readers, the ones I do have are friends and colleagues. I feel like to change my name (of the blog, obviously) could potentially hurt blog traffic — something I've struggled with from the beginning to promote. While many people have done this effectively (most recently Ash from English Major's Junkfood to English Major's Narrative) , I'm just not sure I could. I loved how Ash incorporated her old name to the new with this subtitle: "English Major Junk Food All Grown Up," because what she's going to be talking about has changed. If you're interested in some fantastically cute pictures and the reason why — it's in this post. But Ash's blog name change and my potential blog name change (say that six times fast) are different and I'm not sure I could come up with as brilliant of connection between the two as Ash has.

There's another obvious reason: I have this really cool stamp that I stamp all my books with. It has my blog title and url. I don't want to RE-stamp all my books (talk about a hot mess) much less order a new stamp.

And finally, I kind of like having this blog a little bit separate from my students/school. Obviously I'm not going to rant about my students or job (as I love them both), but I do like the little bit of anonymity that comes a long with using my maiden name. Have I shared this blog with students? A few. Do I have anything to hide? Absolutely not! But when I created this blog in the beginning, (before teaching, the politics of teaching, and before discovering this amazing blogging community) it was meant to be a place to have students review their own reads. But now, (you can call me selfish) I kind of like my own place on the web. I like the freedom to post my own thoughts without trying to suede students to just pick a book up. I like the freedom to "geek out" or talk about personal events in my life (weight loss, weddings) — rather than feeling censored.

Will I continue to blog with students? Probably, it's something I would like to foster in my classroom, but until I get my feet more off the ground in this new school I think I'll wait. Will I share my books and thoughts with students? Everyday! Because of my profession, I am lucky that I am able to talk books on a daily basis and this is one area that blogging has helped me tremendously! Even if I haven't read a book, I'm able to give thoughts and recommendations based on YOUR reviews! My book group (now called Word Shakers) will still be meeting to read, write, and talk books. But for now, I just want Miss Remmers' Review to be just that — my reviews, my thoughts, and my life. While there are a lot of "my's" in there, I don't think I'm being selfish. And even if I am, oh well... it's my blog.:)

So for anyone who has skipped my rant and arrived at the bottom: I'm not going anywhere. Miss Remmers' Review is here to stay!

If you read my review of Rafe Esquith's book, "Lighting Their Fires," you know that I absolutely loved his book. Esquith has reinspired me to be the best teacher that I can be. Thanks to Caitlin, from FSB Associates, I am able to post this article for you all to get a taste of Esquith's writing. I highly, HIGHLY, recommend that you purchase this book if you are a parent or an educator. Very few books I will recommend to buy, as I am a firm supporter of my library — but I just couldn't help but highlight the inside of this book.

Five Tips to Help Your Child Develop Their Natural Gifts By Rafe Esquith,

It'd be nice if there was a secret I could tell you about how to instantly make your kids more successful in school and life. But there is no magic pill, only that old stand-by, hard work. And the funny thing about that is, you can't force kids to work hard. I suppose you could try, but I've rarely seen anything useful come from kids whose parents had to hold their noses to the grindstone. If there's something close to a secret, perhaps it's this: Kids work hard when they want to work hard, and this happens only when are motivated to do so by some positive internal goal, and not by fear or because they are worried about disappointing others. They work hard because they value hard work. Instilling kids with values like this is the first step the long road to real success.

But that doesn't mean there's nothing you can do to make this happen. Here are five ways to put your kids on the path to extraordinary:

Toot Your Own Horn. Ask anyone who knows me and they'll tell you I sound like a broken record when it comes to spreading the gospel of music education. Put simply, every child should play an instrument, and parents should make whatever sacrifices are necessary to put a flute, trumpet, guitar, or tuba in their kid's hands. I don't have room here to list all the valuable skills that playing music can help develop, but one of the most important is the ability to listen to others: to make great music, a child must learn to pay attention to what others are playing. Doing so improves focus and teaches a valuable lesson about collaboration.

Be the Example. We've probably all seen a parent yelling at her kids to be quiet and perhaps chuckled to ourselves about the mixed signals sent by this gesture. It seems like an easy lesson: for kids to understand why things are important, you have to be consistent. But this isn't just situational advice. Kids mirror parents and adults in far more depth than we often realize. They internalize our values by watching what we do, which is why it's essential that we live the way we want them to live. We can stress the importance of being on time until we're blue in the face, but if we're constantly late to pick them up from school, that's what they're going to remember.

Great Books are Great for a Reason. Kids have two backpacks: the physical one they carry their books in, and the mental backpack where they store all the lessons and experiences they'll use to help make decisions. A paperback copy of To Kill a Mockingbird won't take up much room in the first one, but the wisdom contained within this book can be carried in the mental backpack for a lifetime. There are lessons here about choosing generosity over selfishness, making the right choice even when it's the difficult one, and standing up for your beliefs. I also recommend Thornton Wilder's fantastic play Our Town, and anything by Shakespeare (important note: kids are never too young for Shakespeare). A kid with a library card has the world at her fingertips, and when parents read with her, they can serve as map to help make sense of that world.

Do Unto Others. Volunteering is a great way to build character and teach values while making an important contribution to the community. Working at a soup kitchen on Thanksgiving, visiting an elderly person at a retirement home on a regular basis, or planting trees and helping to beautify your town are all great ways to help kids learn about the importance of selflessness and humility. I know several families who volunteer together on a holiday schedule: on each day off, they pick a different activity and spend a few hours volunteering together. This way, parents get to be the example, reinforcing the positive message.

Patience, My Dears. In today's on-demand world, kids are taught that anything worth having can be had instantly. This is an incredibly bad lesson, and parents must work to counteract this by instilling kids with patience and focus — the skills that will let them buckle down to achieve the truly great things that invariably take much time and effort. I've found that gardening is an excellent choice when it comes to teaching patience. Kids see that reaching their goal is a slow process, one that requires dedicated care and attention at every phase. And since they get to watch their garden grow as they tend to it, they learn that the real pleasure is in the process (though ripe tomatoes are certainly also a pleasure, and tasty!).

You may have noticed that most of these "success" tips don't have anything to do with school. That's because making kids extraordinary people is the first step toward making them extraordinary students. All follows from values and character, and in working to instill these, you'll create kids that you — and the rest of the community and country — can be proud of.

©2009 Rafe Esquith, author of Lighting Their Fires: Raising Extraordinary Children in a Mixed-up, Muddled-up, Shook-up World Author Bio Rafe Esquith, author of Lighting Their Fires: Raising Extraordinary Children in a Mixed-up, Muddled-up, Shook-up World, has taught at Hobart Elementary School in Los Angeles for twenty-four years. He is the only teacher to have been awarded the president's National Medal of the Arts. His many other honors and awards include the American Teacher Award, Parents magazine's As You Grow Award, Oprah Winfrey's Use Your Life Award, and People magazine's Heroes Among Us Award. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Barbara Tong.

For more information, please visit www.hobartshakespeareans.org

"It was fast paced and unpredictable; I sped through this novel while at the same time willing myself to slow down." — Miss Remmers

From Amazon.com...

"Sixteen-year-old Yara Silva has always known that ghosts walk alongside the living. Her grandma, like the other females in her family, is a Waker, someone who can see and communicate with ghosts. Yara grew up watching her grandmother taunted and scorned for this unusual ability and doesn't want that to be her future. She has been dreading the day when she too would see ghosts, and is relieved that the usually dominant Waker gene seems to have skipped her, letting her live a normal teenage life. However, all that changes for Yara on her first day at her elite boarding school when she discovers the gene was only lying dormant. She witnesses a dark mist attack Brent, a handsome fellow student, and rushes to his rescue. Her act of heroism draws the mist's attention, and the dark spirit begins stalking her. Yara finds herself entrenched in a sixty-year-old curse that haunts the school, threatening not only her life, but the lives of her closest friends as well. Yara soon realizes that the past she was trying to put behind her isn't going to go quietly."

Why I read this: I was offered to participate in an ARC Book Tour, something I'm generally not too crazy about. But after looking at the cover and reading the description, I figured I'd give it a go.

Plot: The plot was what made this book for me. It was absolutely fantastic. It was fast paced and unpredictable; I sped through this novel while at the same time willing myself to slow down. "Intrinsical" is unlike any other book I've read; there were times that the plot was almost too full of depth and I found myself having to back track — but this only added to the plot and was never a waste of time. I did struggle a little bit with the idea of "Wakers"; it could have been explained more thoroughly. The plot of this novel definitely had me thinking and considering all the possibilities.

Characters: I did have a hard time liking the characters; there wasn't any one thing that bothered me or one thing that I would have changed — I just didn't like them. I had a hard time relating to them. I found the language that they used to be slightly unbelievable; for instance, being so completely upset at your best friend with one sentence and completely forgiving and lovable the next sentence. It just seemed a little too "fictional" for my taste there.

Cover: At first glance the cover is interesting, but it isn't until after you've read the novel that you realize the significance.

Final Thoughts: This is definitely a "love" for me, despite is charactorial flaws (I made that word up, but I can't find a "real" word that fits better so I'm leaving it). This a fantastic novel that somehow "slipped" through the mainstream bibliophilic world, but rightfully deserves it's spot in Barnes and Noble (I didn't see it at my local store). "Intrinsical" is one of those amazing book finds that you don't expect. I highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for something unique and different than any other book.

Originality: 10/10
Ending: 9/10
Characters: 7/10
Plot: 10/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 10/10
Theme: 10/10
Imagery: 10/10
Setting: 5/5
Voice: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Tone: 5/5
Cover: 9/10
Overall: 95/100 A

To the FTC, with love: Part of an ARC Book Tour

Hey everybody! If you're currently reading this in your choice of Reader, you should meander over to my actual site (just this once) to see the new amazing design that Katie (@sophisti_katied) from KD Designs created for me! I absolutely LOVE the new look! Katie did such a fantastic job. I really had no idea where I wanted to take it so I couldn't offer a lot of artistic vision; I simply said simple but worth it.:) She knew exactly where to go with it. I'm just amazed! She was also SO patient (it took me over a month just because of school and everything — and being indecisive). You may not notice all the amazing details so I'll just take a minute to brag: she added the favicon to the top (I love the R!), a new blog button, and the social networking buttons (which I adore) — as well as, you know, revamping the whole thing!

I looked for months for the right designer and was often times completely discouraged because I didn't have my own vision for what I wanted. I was scared to go with someone that I didn't know and who didn't care about my blog or me. I've known Katie throughout the years as a fellow blogger and so when I was deciding between someone I didn't know and who didn't know me versus a long-time friend — it was hands down the easiest (and best) decision ever!

If you can't tell by the abundance of exclamation points, I am so excited that I finally decided it was time to "grow up" and join the big leagues! I have my first design everybody!! I was totally going to wait until the new year to show it off — but I just couldn't! I absolutely adore everything about it and wanted to share it with everyone ASAP!

Yes, I am completely aware of the over-abundance of exclamation points, all the "I'm so excited"'s etc — but really... I can hardly contain myself.

Have a great Thanksgiving Eve everybody!

I am "stealing" this from The Story Siren. If you want to find out more about it click here . Anyway, these are books I got this week at the bookstore, library, and in the mail, of course.

So, this may, in fact, be the most books I've ever received in one week. I am gearing up to begin three final research papers. The first, for Linguistics, will be a study of the Northern Minnesota Dialect. The second, for my infamous Harry Potter class, is going to be either a character analysis of Draco Malfoy OR a comparison between HP and the story of Christ. The third, for my senior seminar on "Paradise Lost," will be a comparison between Milton's "Paradise Lost," Rowling's "Harry Potter," and Lewis' "The Chronicles of Narnia" and the depiction of Christ and Satan in fiction. So, I've been spending most of my time in the library and have... accumulated... quite a large stack of library books. I've attached pictures for your entertainment.

For Review:

"Da Cajn Critter" by Pamela D. Lyles

Won:

From the library:

• "If Harry Potter Ran General Electric"
• "Reading Harry Potter"
• "Reading with the Heart: The Way Into Narnia"

  

• "The Chronicles of Narnia: The patterning of a Fantastic World"
• "The Chronicles of Narnia: Critical Interpretations"
• "The Magician's Nephew"
• "Harry Potter and Philosophy"
• "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe"
• "What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7"
• "The Psychology of Harry Potter"
• "The Hidden Key to Harry Potter"
• "The End of Harry Potter?"
• "Writing Minnesotan: A Critical Analysis of Dialect and Culture in Upper Midwest Regional Literature"
• "Linguistic Atlas of Upper Midwest: Volume 1"
• "Linguistic Atlas of Upper Midwest: Volume 2"
• "Linguistic Atlas of Upper Midwest: Volume 3"
  

What did you find in your mailboxes this week?

Until next week — Happy Reading!

"I think sometimes that society has become hardened to the atrocity that was Nazi/Jew WWII, but the reality is that there were other victims of WWII as well. This is their story." — Miss Remmers

Release Date: March 22nd, 2011
Publisher: Philomel Books
Challenges: 100+ Challenge, Audiobook Challenge, DAC 2011

"Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.
Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously — and at great risk — documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives."

Forgive me, but I can't exactly remember who raved about this book on Twitter about a month ago, but THANK YOU! I remember this person just exclaiming how amazing this audio was and as a result I interlibrary loaned it without even looking up the synopsis. When I played the first tape I was surprised to see that it was a WWII novel and even more baffled that it wasn't portraying the Nazi/Jew version. No, this book illustrates life from the perspective of a young Lithuanian girl who has been imprisoned by the Soviets with her mother and young brother.

I was at first a bit weary of this plot, as (again) I'm not a big historical fiction person. But I was on a road trip to visit my mother and "had no other choice." A few tracks later I was completely enveloped and by the second disk I knew without a doubt that this audiobook would be one of my favorites. I cried several times throughout my road trip and when I wasn't in my car I was thinking of Lina and her family.

Parts of this book made my insides hurt with hunger, exhaustion, and complete despair (it was that good). It seems like the past couple of audios have really brought me down with annoyances and frustrations (mostly to do with the narrator) but this book (and narrator) did such a fantastic job of bringing me into the story and making it intensely real and horrifying.

The end, I will say, brought me to tears in the classroom. I finished another novel on reading day and still had a period to go so I went to the library and got the book (and felt like I was cheating on the audio). As the last page ended the bell rang, and I didn't even say goodbye or "have a good weekend" to my kids. As the next class trickled in I was still wrapped in the feeling of immense sorrow and elation (at the same time). There were even a few questions (spoilers): how did they get out? what happened next? What about the young Pole who help them? How did Andruis find her? Was her father really alive? But I see now that those things aren't really that important to the story.

This audiobook was phenomenal, almost life changing. If you've been struggling to find a good story or a good audiobook, no matter what your preference of genre is, this book is spectacularly honest and unique. I've never read such characters with such a real plot. I think sometimes that society has become hardened to the atrocity that was Nazi/Jew WWII (until you visit the Holocaust Museum in DC) because of all the movies and the matter-of-factness of history books, but the reality is that there were other victims of WWII as well. This is their story.

-Visit Ruta around the web here: Website | Goodreads
-BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble | Nook

To the FTC, with love: Library Loan

"The mystery of the plot really kept my interest; there were times when I thought I had it all figured out (after the first initial twist) and then with the last eight chapters there was another twist! And then another! The end of the book was absolutely perfect — I laughed and I cried." — Miss Remmers

From Amazon.com...

"Haven Moore can't control her visions of a past with a boy called Ethan and a life in New York that ended in fiery tragedy. In our present, she designs beautiful dresses for her classmates with her best friend Beau. Dressmaking keeps her sane, since she lives with her widowed and heartbroken mother in her tyrannical grandmother's house in Snope City, a tiny town in Tennessee. Then an impossible group of coincidences conspire to force her to flee to New York, to discover who she is, and who she was.

In New York, Haven meets Iain Morrow and is swept into an epic love affair that feels both deeply fated and terribly dangerous. Iain is suspected of murdering a rock star and Haven wonders, could he have murdered her in a past life? She visits the Ouroboros Society and discovers a murky world of reincarnation that stretches across millennia. Haven must discover the secrets hidden in her past lives, and loves, before all is lost and the cycle begins again."

Why I read this: The cover really drew my attention in and then after reading the synopsis I knew I would love this novel.

Plot: It took me a while to warm up to the plot; in the beginning it was slow and I could really connect with the setting or characters. The plot also left a lot out, which adds to the mysteriousness, but frustrated me because 1/4 of the way into the book I figured I should have some idea of what was going on. With patience in check, by half way through the novel the plot thickened and deepened to a point where I couldn't put this novel down. I found myself rethinking reincarnation and wondering "what if" and thinking "how romantic." The mystery of the plot really kept my interest as well, there were times when I thought I had it all figured out (after the first initial twist) and then with the last eight chapters there was another twist! And then another! The end of the book was absolutely perfect — I laughed and I cried.

Characters: I did struggle with some of the characters and the amount of religion emphasized in this small community. Coming from a small Midwestern community, I understand how religion can play an important part of a community but I thought it was caked on pretty heavy throughout (especially) the beginning of this novel. I also struggled with Haven's back and forth mentality in regards to Iain. Speaking of Iain... loved him! I absolutely adored him... even when I really disliked him I enjoyed his character. A great character (in my opinion) is one who you can love and hate at the same time because of the depth of the character... this was Iain Morrow for me. Also, I just gotta say Adam definitely caught me unawares.

Cover: A very simple cover — but definitely cover love.

Random Thoughts: I'll admit it, I definitely googled the Ouroboros Society. I just can't get over how romantic it all is! To continue searching for "the one" for lifetimes. I would LOVE to see this novel as a movie.

Final Thoughts: This book was fantastic; I could not put it down and could not push it from my thoughts. I had about 100 pages left when school got out and read until I was able to leave (3:45) and then took it home with me. Dan was reading "Mockingjay" and when he began to shut his book so that we could "talk about our days" I begged him to continue reading. Together we sat side by side on our recliner and read. He saw me laugh, cry, and shout out in amazement over this book. He saw my despair when the novel was ending and I knew it wasn't going to end the way I wanted it to. He witnessed the small bit of hope that remained as I began reading the final chapter. And he held my hand when I shut the book and let out the sigh that goes along with the end of any great read. It's become a very fond memory that I think says a lot about our relationship and I'm so happy to say that it is a memory that involves this book.

Read it.

Originality: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Characters: 8/10
Plot: 8/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 9/10
Theme: 10/10
Imagery: 10/10
Setting: 5/5
Voice: 4/5
Style: 5/5
Tone: 5/5
Cover: 10/10
Overall: 94/100 A

To the FTC, with love: Library Loan

"I don't know about you, but during the duration of reading this book I wrote entirely in cursive. What an inspiring concept!" — Miss Remmers

From Amazon.com...

"Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow."

Why I read this: The cover and premise really intrigued me.

Plot: The plot was very similar to "The Hunger Games" in regards to the society and its' people. I love the whole idea of a Society that runs everything, it was different with "Matched" because the Society does such a great job of "taking care" of their citizens. It was so fun to follow the journey that Cassia was on as she discovered the truth about her Society. The Society was so intricately weaved, I was never bored.

Characters: I did struggle a bit with Cassia at first, simply because of the betrayal. But as the relationship between Ky and Cassia developed I found myself captivated. By the end of the novel, I was as upset and enraged as Cassia. When I turned that last page I felt as though friends were waiting for me and book #2 couldn't come any faster.

Cover: What an ABSOLUTELY beautiful cover.

Random Thoughts: I loved how important writing had become to those who don't write. I also loved that, like "The Hunger Games," it was set in a futuristic society where the government controlled the people. I have found that this is a theme that really draws readers in. The technology component was also extremely interesting; past generations had been so overwhelmed by all the technology at their every fingertip has now "de-whelmed" their people by only having the basic technologies available. They have also found that society is too materialistic, so they have rid themselves of all personal objects and purged through its histories and arts. It was absolutely FANTASTIC!

I know I keep mentioning "The Hunger Games," I don't want anyone to misinterpret this as "Matching" being a knock-off of "THG." But it's important to realize that "THG" is a story that every student in my class is talking about and I want them to know that because of the the societal similarities "Matched" and "THG" students will devour this book.

Final Thoughts: WOW! I can't stop talking about this books. On November 30th, I will be bringing a copy of this book into my classroom. I can't recommend it enough.

Originality: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Plot: 10/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 10/10
Theme: 10/10
Imagery: 10/10
Setting: 5/5
Voice: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Tone: 5/5
Cover: 10/10
Overall: 99/100 A

To the FTC, with love: Review Book

This book will be released on November 30th, 2010

A few weeks months ago I asked for your opinion: what books would you recommend to my students. I had a fantastic response. If my stats for that post are any indication, this question has been asked many times before and people, especially teachers, are still looking for those great recommendations. Well, after asking my mom (a school librarian) and the librarian at my school, I'm finally making public what we have put together. I'm pretty sure everybody can find something on this list; I know that nonfiction is an area I need to work on as well and as I'm expecting one nonfiction read from my students by the end of the semester I've set the same standard for myself.

If you'd like to look at these lists in a Google Doc format: Recs from Readers and Recs from Teachers

Here are the recommendations from other readers:
Title of Book
Diary of Anne Frank
In the Garden of Beasts
Manhunt
Farewell to Manzanar
Graphic Novels: Maus and Persepolis
Half Broke Horses
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
The Meaning of Matthew: My Son's Murder in Laramie, and a World Transformed
What is the What
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Freakonomics
Under the Black Flag
Cleopatra: A Life
All But My Life
Freedom Riders
Einstein's Refrigerator
Brothers in Arms
The Devil In The White City
Little Princes
360 Degrees Longitude
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

You Had Me at Woof
Decoded
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
Night
Eat, Pray, Love
I am Scout: The Biography of Harper Lee I am Scout: The Biography of Harper Lee
The Glass Castle
The Children's Blizzard
Rocket Boys
Stitches: A Memoir

And here are the recommendations compiled by two fantastic school librarians:

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Last year in what seemed like a span of weeks I read five fantastic novels that just happened to be the first of a series: "Across the Universe, " "Delirium, " "The Goddess Test, " "Wither, " and "Matched. " These five novels absolutely changed my reading life. With each of these books I was positively awe-struck.

"I read this book almost in its entirety in one day... but it feels like I've known these characters for months, years even! The journey I just got back from after reading "Wither" was an experience that every bibliophile looks forward to with every book they open. "Wither" may not fulfill this experience for everyone — but it sure did for me."

"I hurt with the emotion I felt, I hurt because I couldn't stop willing the plot on, my heart hurt out of love for the characters, and my adrenaline never slowed the last 100 pages. This book caused me physical pain I loved it so much."

"Fantastically timed writing along with perfectly developed characters and a seamlessly exciting plot makes "Delirium" an instant favorite and a story not likely forgotten anytime soon."

"'Across the Universe' was woven so intricately and beautifully that this plot driven novel is definitely on my 'OMG! I need the next book!' list."

"I don't know about you, but during the duration of reading this book I wrote entirely in cursive. What an inspiring concept!"
So you can only imagine how excited I am for their sequels to be released. "Crossed" (out last week) was in my fingertips at BEA and I had actually started reading while in line for other books but unfortunately it was not to be finished. I pre-ordered it through Amazon about a month ago (and I won't make that mistake again); it arrived on Friday and I am so excited to continue the story.

Today I received in the mail at school a copy of "A Million Suns" by Beth Revis (Jan 2012) from the publisher and am completely stoked! Last week I received a copy "Pandemonium" by Lauren Oliver (March 2012) from the publisher and am currently only about 100 pages in — but this four day weekend will completely change the game around.

Please ignore my yellow bookmark.
And to finish things off I just found out that "Goddess Interrupted" will be released on NetGalley a few months before the release (March 2012).
If you're getting the impression that I am on a book high — you'd be completely underestimating my excitement. My "in my mailbox" has never EVER been so exciting before! I'm a relatively small-town blogger and probably only receive one book a month from publishers (if that). But this post is not an "IMM" (expect a vlog!!), there is a reason these books in particular are crossing my doorstep.
At school I have put together a group of ten students, a very cool name is yet to be decided on, who meet, read, suggest, and promote YA books to my other students during Friday's Recreational Reading time. Basically we meet during lunch and talk books — much like a book club. Then we decided which books of the week are our absolute favorites and each student volunteers to book talk a book to my English classes on Friday before reading. It started out with "older" books and ironically my five favorites were all chosen to be book talked. Then my students started to talk about the sequels and how they were dying to get their hands on them (much like myself) and so I figured I'd attempt to receive one of these coveted ARCS and become the coolest and most awesome teacher ever. So I sent out a few emails to authors (as I have no legitimate "contacts") and low and behold (who ever thought of that term?) two books found their way to my doorstep.
I'll be presenting these books to my students on Monday when we meet and I can't WAIT to see their eyes light up. The idea that publishers would send ME (of all people — according to the students) books before they even came out is a completely foreign idea to these students and I'm just exploding with excitement. I sort of feel like a cave man bringing home fire (or a wheel) for the first time.