As the on-going reflections and corrections of the 2017-2018 school year begin to swirl furiously in your brain, LEARN wishes to support you in turning essays into chilly cocktails, exams into sunny porches, book reports into BBQ delights and science projects into LEARN’s summertime reads recommendations. Summer vacation is no longer a tunnel dream, not simply a postcard on your desk to escape into, no longer a fictitious date on your personal calendar. It’s ok to start dreaming, fantasizing, planning, and of course relaxing – you made it! We hope you enjoy our reading recommendations for the summer of 2018.
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Innovators Mindset by George Kouros
George Kouros was a keynote speaker at the SPEAQ 2017 ESL convention in Laval, and gave an inspiring presentation on being an innovative educator-that I missed!
Who is George and what is he writing about? I finally acquired his book, The Innovator’s Mindset, it is a book that teaches, inspires, and motivates the reader to help create a culture of innovation.
Next stop, his blog! Happy summer!!
Mandolin for Dummies
A few years ago, I started to teach myself how to play the mandolin. I have found that playing music increases my concentration, improves my coordination, and boosts my mood. While I’m no dummy, I’m looking forward to expanding my skill-set and learning a few new chords this summer!
Canadian Gardener’s Guide
Lorraine Johnson, Ed.
Two of my favourite summer pastimes are reading and gardening, so it’s only natural that these two activities would overlap in the form of a gardening book. We have a lot of trees on our property, so I refer most often to the sections related to shade plants. This guide is a helpful reference for beginners and more seasoned gardeners alike and the colourful photos are inspiring!
Broad Band
by Claire L. Evans
Broad Band, The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the Internet weaves the history of the women who were the first ‘computers’, whose mental labour bore the original information technology and who “elevated the rudimentary operation of computing machines into an art called programming.” Author Claire L. Evans begins the story at the turn of the 20th C, when early use of the term ‘computer’ signified a job (mostly done by women), not a machine, and works her way through to the 1990’s, when cyberfeminists used the Internet as a platform for creativity and artistic expression. From Ada Lovelace, to Grace Hopper, to Brenda Laurel, these women were guided by their focus on the user, rather than the technology. Ultimately, they gave the machines their language and never lost sight of what should be the computer’s central purpose – to enrich our lives.
NAUFRAGE by Biz
J’ai toujours aimé les mots, la poésie et la musique de Loco Locass, un groupe de hip-hop québécois formé de Biz, Batlam et Chafiik. Pour les amateurs de hockey et du Canadien de Montréal, vous avez surement déjà entendu leur chanson Le but. Cet été, j’ai décidé de retrouver la plume de Biz en lisant son quatrième roman Naufrage.
When by Daniel H. Pink
As the title suggests it deals with time, but more specifically, timing. Pink posits that when to do something and when not to is really a science and that knowing “when” to do something greatly influences outcomes. Not surprising until he starts to point out certain everyday realities and the value of recognizing patterns. When best to exercise, study, sleep, retire, collaborate, engage in critical reflection? An easy but enjoyable read.
The Moor’s Account by Laila Lalami
My summer read takes me back to the 16th century, to “La Florida” and that familiar story of conquest, but from the perspective of an unfamiliar voice. The Moor’s Account by Moroccan-American novelist Laila Lalami, is a retelling of the failed Narváez expedition of 1527. Mustafa al-Zamori, called Estebanico, was one of only four survivors from the journey. A slave, his version was forever silenced in the testimonies of the others. Lalami’s fictional rendition gives voice to the experience of possibly the first Black explorer to visit the Americas, and through his lens to voices of the indigenous people who resisted them all.
I just picked up a bag of 18 French language books at a garage sale for five dollars, so I’ll be reading to my two year-old granddaughter this summer. Rose is already comfortable in French, and I’ll get to practice reading at a level suitable to me. Best of all, we’ll be snuggling together!
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk
by Kathleen Rooney
is the life story of the title character. Lillian reminds me of Rosalind Russell’s character in His Girl Friday, except there’s no Cary Grant – there’s only Lillian and the many characters she encounters in her New-York-writer career path. Also, there’s poetry.
Between the World and Me
by Ta-Nehisi Coates
When my executive director asked me to include the book “Between the World and Me” in our public library, I pounced on it. I was immediately convinced of his incisive views on racial politics in America and bookmarked the book for this summer. Now, I can’t wait to read how his fears, misgivings, and hopes from just a few years ago so I can compare them daily to America’s ongoing identity crisis.
You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
Words of the Huron by John Steckley
Despite having been studied and documented extensively since the 17th century, the Wendat language has almost disappeared in Quebec, with only a handful of native speakers still alive today. Initiatives are now being taken to revive and promote Wendat inside and outside the Wendake reserve. This book is one of the reference material used in classes for learning the vocabulary, syntax and cultural context of the Wendat language. Sehiatonhchotrahk!
Lifelong Kindergarten by Mitchel Resnick
I love to play, I love to learn through playing. Lifelong Kindergarten explores how all deep learning stems from play, engagement, discovery, creativity, excitement, freedom to explore, choice… kinda like being in kindergarten for life. Mitch Resnick’s position is that education should be built on Projects, Passion, Peers, and Play! This book explains how…
The Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell
The Danes claim to be the happiest nation on earth in terms of education, childcare, taxes and food. Read the book to find out if you agree and how we (as Canadians) compare to their living standards. The book is available for your reading pleasure in our LEARN library.
The Future is History by Masha Gessen
Come for the clever wordplay, stay for the unsettling glimpse of a culture at once so unlike our own, and at the same time terrifyingly close. As Russia appears more and more often in the world news, I thought I would try to learn more about this powerhouse country who holds none of our truths to be self-evident. A looking-glass kind of book, where you find yourself not knowing what you knew in the first place.
And on that note, have a great summer. I think we’ve all earned a little light at the end of this 2017-2018 tunnel!
This is a non judgmental space right? My name is Ben and I will admit that sometimes I am not tidy. This summer I will be reading the life changing magic of tidying up by Japanese organizing guru Marie Kondo. You might notice that I took the book out from my local library, therefore, I won’t even have to stress about where to put it once I’m done. Full disclosure, I have already started the book and learned a few things. Firstly, ask yourself why you want to be tidier. Once you answer that question, ask yourself why. Once you have that answer, ask why again, and so on. Eventually, you will come to the root of the matter. Is that what they mean by self-help? I’ve also flipped through the later chapters, so I know that at some point I will take all my clothes and put them in a pile on the ground. I will touch each one and ask myself if it brings me joy. If not, I will thank the item for its service and donate it.
Vous avez envie de vous évader, de lire un bon roman policier et de vous dépayser. Je vous suggère le premier roman d’une série de 9 de l’auteur suédoise Camilla Läckberg.
I was inspired to pull John Le Carré’s The Night Manager from my bookcase while I watched the TV adaptation. John Le Carré is far and away my favourite novelist, and I was surprised to discover that I had never finished this one (but I fully intend to). In fact, the bookmark that I found mid-book was a Club Soda ticket stub from sometime in 1993! Le Carré has a beautiful writing style, and his characters are always richly drawn. “The Night Manager” is the gripping story of a British expat hotel night manager in Cairo who is drawn into the dark world of spy craft in an effort to bring down a wealthy British philanthropist and business magnate involved in shady arms deals.
As a self-proclaimed science geek, I can’t wait to read this fictional account of astronaut Mark Watney as he struggles to survive after a dust storm that leads to him being stranded on Mars. Apparently, Weir did exhaustive research to make his story as scientifically sound as possible. After I read the book, I may just check out the movie (starring Matt Damon, need I say more?).
I started reading the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich a couple of years ago. I was introduced to the series by a library friend of mine. It is an easy read with action, romance and a lot of LOL’s. The series consists of 22 books so far. I am in the middle of reading Tricky Twenty-Two and hope the series continues.
I’ve been immersed in STEAM education this year, so a graphic novel about the first computer that never was… the steam-powered Difference Engine designed by inventor Babbage and conceptualized by mathematician Lovelace seems a fitting summer read. The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage * The (Mostly) True Story of the First Computer is described by the author Sydney Padua herself as “an imaginary comic about an imaginary computer.”
Khaled Hosseini also wrote The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns. All three of these books give a view of life in Afghanistan through the lives of different families, at different times in the last 100 years. And the Mountains Echoed is probably the most powerful, telling connected stories through the voices of several different characters whose lives intersect over time. This is not a light read, but if you are looking for a grounding story about life in another part of the world that is emotional, thought provoking but still leaves you with hope, this book exemplifies the art of good story telling.
This is the personal story of Ingrid, a Québec born actress who has written this very poignant first book. It is a story that involves the crossing of two very different cultures that are trying to come together under the false premise of love. It happened to Ingrid when she was 18, but it could happen to our daughters, sisters and even us. When they say love is blind, it can really be blinding. I chose this book for a quick summer read and I read it in a flash! It is well written, interesting, and will even get you to cultivate your French language.
An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth
