The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

Interested in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692? You will love this novel!
~One of USA Today's Top Ten books of 2009~
Connie is a Harvard graduate working towards her doctorate on early colonial life. However, first she must go through her grandmother's old house to get it ready to sell. While there, she discovers a Bible with an ancient key hidden deep within. The key has a piece of paper in it with one name - Deliverance Dane. Connie is determined to find out who this woman is and why her name is written in the key. In the meantime, Connie falls in love with a church curator, who mysteriously falls ill. It turns out her only hope of saving him is linked to Deliverance Dane.
I loved every minute of this novel and could not set it down! I am a huge fan of historical fiction, obviously, so this was right up my alley! Even better, I found it in the Wal-Mart clearence section for $5! It is a $28 book - score! I would suggest this novel to anyone interested in history or suspense novels, there is even a love story built-in. :) I give this novel a score of 4.5~!

http://physickbook.com/

Teaching Tidbit

Yes, I know that this isn't a book review, but I had a brilliant idea and decided to write in this blog.
So, I think it would be a really neat idea, once I have a classroom, to have a classroom blog. Well, that is not the wonderful idea, but stick with me. Anyhow, this classroom blog would be available to all parents and students for viewing. However, I think I will be the only one to moderate.
With this blog, I think it would be neat for students to write book reviews of books that they read so that I can post to the blog for parents and other to see. You may ask, "What if the student just copies the review or makes it up?" Well, that is where the brilliant idea comes in......
Get this... For 5 points extra credit, a student can read a level-appropriate book, keep a reading log (which keeps them honest about ACTUALLY reading), and then write a one-page review for the blog. Students could complete 2 of these per semester, if they choose, which could potentially raise their grade by 10 points, a whole letter grade. The beauty of this is that it would get kids to do extra reading without forcing the issue. If you want a better grade - read. If not - don't read. Another benefit, is that it would teach them to write a review, NOT a summary. Kids are taught in elementary to summarize. It takes creative thinking to write a review.

Ok, so what do my teacher-y friends think about this idea? All input is appreciated!

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

This novel is absolutely amazing. A professor of mine gave it to me, so it was a freebie! The novel follows the life of a young girl in 19th century China when girls still have their feet bound in order to be desirable wives. This girl becomes lifelong friends with another young girl through the secret language of Chinese women, nu shu. Point of view is first person, the young girl is now a very old woman who believes that everyone she has known in her life has passed on, so now she can finally tell her true story. Overall, it is a wonderful book and I truly have nothing negative to say about it. If one enjoys Memoirs of a Geisha, she will undoubtedly enjoy this novel. I would recommend it to women and girls over fourteen who are interested in historical fiction. I give this novel a 4! I am actually lending this to my best friend who also has a reading blog http://www.livinglaughingreading.blogspot.com.
Check it out and see if she enjoys the novel as much as I did! :)

 http://www.lisasee.com/snowflower.htm