Study Skill 14.5 March 2021 - Book Chat with the Mizzou Academy Team

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On a windy morning that almost felt like spring, five Mizzou Academy team members (Kathryn, Jill, Lou, Paul, and Sherry) joined together for a zoom call to catch up on books; and, as is so often the case when talking about reading, to also catch up on life. Through the zoom screen, we cooed over a new baby chick, celebrated a grandson who has just started reading books on his own, and recounted stories from sunny spots in our favorite libraries.

These seasonal book chats help us build our own recommended reading lists and are also a chance to enjoy our learning community. On this particular chat we discussed how reading is an act of wellness, or as Jill Clingan put it, “a balm for the soul.” We read to experience lives we haven’t lived and to explore places we haven’t traveled. We read to learn, to imagine, and to connect.

During our conversation, books took center stage. Some held books tightly to their chests, others opened the pages and put them right up to their computer cameras for all to see. At one point or another, almost everyone ran off to grab just one more title to recommend.

Below are the current titles on our bookshelves. Perhaps you will find your next great read here; if not, we hope you find one at a favorite library nearby.

Note: some of the books we discussed are also appropriate for the K-12 classroom. If so, we have indicated that in the notes.

Title	Author	Notes	Recommender
Books to Delight
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants	Robin Wall Kimmerer	This book is written by both a botanist and a poet. Each short chapter stands on its own. Beautiful—a gorgeous book.	Jill Clingan
Dusk, Night, Dawn: On Revival and Courage Almost Everything: Notes on Hope	Anne Lamott	Anne Lamott’s writings are always timely, funny, poetic, and honest. She manages to say out loud what we might be afraid to admit even to ourselves, and in the admitting, we find ourselves in a more grace-filled space than we were before we started to read.	Jill Clingan
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life	George Saunders	This is the book version of the Russian short story class that Saunders teaches at Syracuse University. The book includes short stories by Chekhov, Turgenev, Tolstoy, and Gogol, and after each story is a discussion like Saunders has led in his classes for the last 20 years.	Lou Jobst
A Wealth of Pigeons: A Cartoon Collection	Steve Martin	This book of cartoons is a cross between Far Side and the New Yorker. Martin gave Harry Bliss ideas for cartoons, and then Bliss created them. The result is a book of funny cartoons and entertaining commentary.	Lou Jobst
The Artist’s Path in 500 Walks: Follow the Inspired Footsteps of William Shakespeare, Frida Kahlo, Otis Redding, and More	Kath Stathers	This book includes pictures and descriptions of walks taken by artists, musicians, and writers. Lou savors this book by reading two pages a day.	Lou Jobst
Gaston	Kelly DiPucchio (Author), Christian Robinson (Illustrator)	This delightful children's book tells the story of two families of puppies. Kathryn shares that it is a great springboard for discussing identity (including gender expression), diversity, and inclusion with young learners.	Kathryn Fishman-Weaver
A Classic Author Study
Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Northanger Abbey, Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, Mansfield Park	Jane Austen	This winter, Jill set out to re-read all the Jane Austen books. It was a comfort to revisit old favorites. On this new read, she noticed new observations about people in general, and women in particular. These classics are also great for the high school classroom.	Jill Clingan
1930s, Silk Factories in China
All the Flowers in Shanghai	Duncan Jepson	This book is about a young, independent woman in 1930s China who had to learn how to maneuver a life where she was forced to give up much of her freedom and marry a man she did not want to marry.	Sherry Denney
Women of the Silk	Gail Tsukiyama	In 1920s China, fortune tellers told families what girls to give away to the silk factories so that families could sustain themselves. This historical story is about the experiences of a girl who works in the silk factory, including the hardships she endures and the relationships that she creates.	Sherry Denney
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane	Lisa See	This book is about the life of a girl from a rural minority group in China who is an independent thinker who doesn’t want to be defined by the culture.	Sherry Denney
Thoughtful Fiction
The Secret Life of Addie LaRue	V.E. Schwab	In this book that sweeps from the 1700s to the present, the protagonist makes a deal with the devil to not get married. She can live forever, but no one ever remembers her. This book is magical, thoughtful, and beautifully written. The audiobook version is lovely as well.	Jill Clingan
Out of My Mind	Sharon M. Draper	This book is written in first person perspective from a fifth grade gifted girl who has cerebral palsy. It is a poignant, funny, heart-breaking, and tender middle grade book that can lead to great conversations about inclusion and neurodiversity.	Kathryn Fishman-Weaver
Thoughtful Nonfiction
Dare to Lead: Brave work. Tough Conversations. Whole hearts.	Brené Brown	This is a book on leadership and how we can implement wholeheartedness in leadership roles. Great exercises on values and working with your teams.	Kathryn Fishman-Weaver
The Choice: Embrace the Possible	Dr. Edith Eva Eger	Dr. Eger wrote this book in part to fill a gap in the literature on women’s voices in the Holocaust space (most books are from men’s voices). She writes and speaks as a daughter and a sister. It is heartbreaking, difficult, and beautiful.	Kathryn Fishman-Weaver
The Eye of the Elephant: An Epic Adventure in the African Wilderness	Mark Owens and Delia Owens	This book is an adventurous, daring story about the author’s attempt to save elephants from being poached. After finishing this book herself, Sherry mailed a copy to Lou.	Lou and Sherry
Rage Against the Minivan	Kristin Howerton	Howerton, who ran a blog by the same name, recently released this book on the joys and tribulations of motherhood. Topics include adoption and transracial family dynamics. It's written with humor, wisdom, and reality.	Kathryn Fishman-Weaver