Tag: Gina Linko

Flipgrid and Other Book-Friendly Technology

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Earlier today, we posted our second kid-written book review. If you missed it, you can read fifth-grader Fiona’s thoughts on Gina Linko’s FLOWER MOON here. Alternatively, you can hear Fiona booktalk the novel here.

Fiona recorded her review using Flipgrid, a platform that seeks to use video to “ignite student discussion and engagement.” Flipgrid is primarily used by students and teachers, but more and more, it’s being used by authors, too. Teachers like Fiona’s have set up specific Flipgrip pages where authors can make videos booktalking their own books (AUTHORS: make your video here!). Her students are then able to browse the videos and learn more about each book directly from the author. How awesome is that?

Before Fiona’s teacher, Nicole Mancini, asked me to record a video about my book for her students, I’d never even heard of Flipgrid. When I asked her to tell me a bit about it and about what it’s done for her and her students, she had this to say:

“Flipgrid is so great that it is difficult to put into words. It has honestly revolutionized my classroom. It’s made connecting with authors incredibly special for my kiddos (and me), and brings the quiet kids from the back of the classroom to the front. I love how I’m able to forge even stronger relationships with my students through it. I actually met most of them before school even started — I set up a grid for introductions and emailed the link to all of their parents a few weeks early and got to know the kids that way. We also have a section where they share what they’re doing over the weekend or while on trips (one did a vid response from Dubai!).”

Technology is constantly changing and advancing, and here at the #MGBookVillage, we hope to keep up with it — especially if it’s all in the name of sharing, celebrating, and discussing books! Contributors should feel welcome to pitch ideas for posts in any form they choose. Have an idea? Get in touch via our Contact page.

— Jarrett

Book Review: FLOWER MOON by Gina Linko

~ bookvillageadmin ~ 2 Comments

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Flower Moon is a book that is about friendship, family, and adventure. It is a great book and everyone can enjoy it. Tally, the protagonist, has a twin, Tempest. They did everything together and Tally always thought that were exactly the same. But they weren’t. Once Tempest finds a new hobby, she likes everything about science, technology, and building inventions instead of following Tally around on adventures.

One day Tempest is doing a science presentation in front of the class and Tally has to bring something up to her, but when she’s about to hand her the thing that she needed Tally felt a pressure, stopping her from coming close to her sister. As she gets closer the more pressure she feels, and there’s a chattering her teeth and in her ears there’s a hard drumming. She wonders what is this and why can’t I come close to my sister?

Once they get home, she can still feel the pressure, and the twins find out that they are going to their grandfather’s carnival for a few weeks for their birthday. When they get to the carnival, Tally tries to come closer to her sister, but with each day it just gets worse. Along the way, they find out a secret about why their mother and her twin went separate ways and left each other.

Do Tally and Tempest find a way to come close to each other without feeling this pressure? Do Tally and Tempest split up, like they discover mother and aunt? Read this outstanding book to find out.

This book is one of the best books that I have ever read! I think that everyone should read it because it is for all ages. It is well written and is so moving — it is just outstanding. I love this book so much! I chose to review this book because I think that everyone should read it and that they will love it.

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My name is Fiona and I am in grade five and I am 11 years old. I love to read books that are fiction and that have a lot of action. I read whenever I can and I move through each book quickly. I also love math a lot and I am good at it, but nothing is better than reading a good book. My favorite hobbies besides reading are drawing, painting, and swimming. I also love to cook, and I enjoy the sport fencing, too. Some of my favorite series of books are Harry Potter, The Iron Trail, Wings of Fire, Fablehaven, Percy Jackson, and A Series of Unfortunate Events. Some books that I really enjoyed were Flower Moon, Click’d, Finding Perfect, The Someday Birds, Flush, Scat, Skink–No Surrender, Dragon Watch, The Day that Saved My Life, The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and many many more. I enjoy writing stories but they don’t always come out the best. My ELA teacher asked if I would like to make reviews for some new books coming out and when I started I enjoyed it a lot.