Ms. Harris's Shelf

Since I’m new to teaching English (and teaching in general), I sometimes feel out of touch with technology innovations in the classroom, especially regarding literacy. As a result, I can default to teaching lessons the same way I learned them in high school. So naturally when it was time for my sophomore to read Julius Caesar, I asked them to get out their textbooks. However, before we even assigned parts, one of my students asked if they could read on myshakespeare.com instead. After checking out the site, I happily agreed. Myshakespeare.com has annotated versions of several of the Bard’s plays, including Julius Caesar. They also include great translations into 21st century English alongside the original text, which has been especially helpful for students when they’re absent so they can keep up with the text. Each play also has videos that provide historical context or performances of key scenes. I found the video on the Lupercal festival especially helpful. I’m thankful my student...

I personally really enjoy graphic novels, but many of my favorites are a little too difficult for some lower-level readers. For that reason, I recently read Anya's Ghost  in hopes it would be a good recommendation for those students. Anya's Ghost is about a girl who befriends a ghost after discovering a long-lost skeleton. Things take a turn when Anya realizes her new friend doesn't have her best interests at heart. The novel also explores the difficulties of fitting in as an immigrant in a new country as well as mundane teenage embarrassment over family. The novel also lightly touches on some sensitive subjects, including emotional abuse within a romantic relationship. The illustrations are lovely, and Emily, the ghost becomes truly terrifying throughout the novel. The slow reveal of how she actually died pays off in the climax of the novel. Although I did enjoy the novel, I think it will only be appropriate for middle-grade readers or low-level high school readers.