The Witches

Bibliography
Schiff, Stacy. The Witches: Salem, 1692. Blackstone Audio, 2015.

image from: www.stacyschiff.com

Summary (from www.stacyschiff.com)
Author Schiff seeks to portray the historical figures involved in the Salem witch trials as the real people they were. Narrator Eliza Foss makes them come alive for the listener. Foss resists the urge to cackle or to sound incredulous during this objective examination of the so-called witches. While her voice suits the tone of the work, her reading is not dry. She modulates her intonations nicely, making listening easier on the ear and saving the long passages of historical and religious background from becoming tedious.

My Thoughts

This audiobook was 21 parts! It took several long trips in the car and stealing moments hear and there to finish listening to this book. It was full of great information about the Salem Witch Trials. Some of it I knew, but some was new.

I liked how well researched the book was and the audiobook included the footnotes. Part 20 was when I learned about what happened to many of the "players" of the trials.

As I listened, I kept thinking about movies I showed my English III students. "Three Sovereigns for Sarah" and "The Crucible." I would picture those actors when the actual witch trial participants were discussed in this book.

I bought this book for our library. I think it will be a great resource for students.

Kitchens of the Great Midwest

Bibliography
Stradal, J. Ryan. Kitchens of the Great Midwest. Viking, 2015.
image from: www.goodreads.com

Summary (from amazon.com)
Kitchens of the Great Midwest is a novel about a young woman with a once-in-a-generation palate who becomes the iconic chef behind the country’s most coveted dinner reservation. It was selected as a best book of the year by Amazon, BookPage, LibraryReads, and NPR. 

When Lars Thorvald’s wife, Cynthia, falls in love with wine—and a dashing sommelier—he’s left to raise their baby, Eva, on his own. He’s determined to pass on his love of food to his daughter—starting with puréed pork shoulder. As Eva grows, she finds her solace and salvation in the flavors of her native Minnesota. From Scandinavian lutefisk to hydroponic chocolate habaneros, each ingredient represents one part of Eva’s journey as she becomes the star chef behind a legendary and secretive pop-up supper club, culminating in an opulent and emotional feast that’s a testament to her spirit and resilience.

Each chapter in J. Ryan Stradal’s startlingly original debut tells the story of a single dish and character, at once capturing the zeitgeist of the Midwest, the rise of foodie culture, and delving into the ways food creates community and a sense of identity. By turns quirky, hilarious, and vividly sensory, Kitchens of the Great Midwest is an unexpected mother-daughter story about the bittersweet nature of life—its missed opportunities and its joyful surprises. It marks the entry of a brilliant new talent.

My Thoughts
I started this book before going on vacation, so it stayed on my nightstand a little too long. The story was interesting, but when I picked it up again, I had to really think about who these characters are and what had happened to this point.

Eva carries the story. There is a interweaving of food throughout her life. The summary from Amazon here really does tell the story, but the reader must "taste" the story (pun intended).

I liked how realistic the relationships were and how the story represented that some people are in your life for a season and some are there for a lifetime.

Some things I marked:
"She had overhead people calling her parents 'white trash,' and she had quickly figured out that no one protects or stands up for white trash, and no one on the outside world ever world. To be called white trash is to be told that you're on your own" (Stradal 55). Sadly, I think this hits the mark.

As they are driving to one of Eva's dinners, they passed "signs for something called Wall Drug." I laughed because I've been there (at least twice!). It is a place to stop and visit in South Dakota.


I'm not sure teens will enjoy the book, but I think adults will. I liked the inclusion of recipes that connected to the story.

The Innovator's Mindset

Bibliography
Couros, George. The Innovator's Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of
     Creativity. Dave Burgess, 2015.
image from: www.amazon.com

My Thoughts
George Couros came to Stephenville! I was hoping to get this book read between vacation and his visit, but I didn't get it done. However, I did finish reading this book and have made lots of notes about things I agree with and want to do as librarian and as a leader on my campus.

The book is a little over 200 pages in length. One of the things I enjoyed were the questions at the end of each chapter for me to think about what I've read or apply what I learned and how I might use this knowledge. Some things that Couros writes about, I know...it's just nice to have the reminder (or validation). I loved the whack a mole analogy in education (Couros 125)! I also liked when he wrote that "school should not be a place where answers go to die but questions come to life" (Couros 189).

The book is divided into four parts.

Part 1 of the book starts with a definition of "innovation." It is "a way of thinking that creates something new and better" (Couros 19). It's not just a buzzword (oh, how I've heard this term overused!), nor is it a "thing, task or even technology" (Couros 20). It's a way of thinking. It's a way of starting with a question, asking why we do what we do and what is best for the learner? (Couros 21).

When I saw Figure 2, I searched through my photos. I'd save a screenshot of this in August of 2015! This is how long these ideas have been swimming in my head.

I think Couros likes the number 8, as he lists several things in the book and explains what each means.
There are 8 characteristics of an Innovator's Mindset (p. 49):

• empathetic
• problem finders
• risk takers
• networked
• observant
• creators
• resilient
• reflective

There are 8 characteristics of the Innovative Leader (p. 88):

• visionary
• empathetic
• models learning
• open risk-taker
• networked
• observant
• team builder
• always focused on relationships

There are 8 things to look for in a classroom (p. 111):

• voice
• choice
• time for reflection
• opportunities for innovation
• critical thinkers
• problem solvers/finders
• self-assessment
• connected learning

I'm listing them here so I'll have them for quick reference.  

I think I could read this book every summer and see something new and relevant.