Columbine by Dave Cullen

From Goodreads,

"The tragedies keep coming. As we reel from the latest horror . . . " So begins a new epilogue, illustrating how Columbine became the template for nearly two decades of "spectacle murders." It is a false script, seized upon by a generation of new killers. In the wake of Newtown, Aurora, and Virginia Tech, the imperative to understand the crime that sparked this plague grows more urgent every year.

What really happened April 20, 1999? The horror left an indelible stamp on the American psyche, but most of what we "know" is wrong. It wasn't about jocks, Goths, or the Trench Coat Mafia. Dave Cullen was one of the first reporters on scene, and spent ten years on this book-widely recognized as the definitive account. With a keen investigative eye and psychological acumen, he draws on mountains of evidence, insight from the world's leading forensic psychologists, and the killers' own words and drawings-several reproduced in a new appendix. Cullen paints raw portraits of two polar opposite killers. They contrast starkly with the flashes of resilience and redemption among the survivors.

Goodreads - Columbine

Awards:

• Audie Award Nominee for Best Nonfiction (2009)
• Los Angeles Times Book Prize Nominee for Current Interest (2009)
• Goodreads Choice Award for Nonfiction (2009)
• Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime (2010)
• Lincoln Award Nominee (2012)

Dave Cullen was one of the first reporters on the scene of the Columbine shooting.  He spent 10 years researching, studying, and examining the events, evidence, and people from Columbine High School.  This book is a work of nonfiction that gives an analysis of what happened before, during, and after the Columbine shooting.

It took me exactly two weeks to read this book.  This book had so much information about Columbine and there were times when I had to stop reading because the content was very heavy.  I loved that this book broke down the shooting from before, during, and the weeks, months, and years after.  There was a lot that happened in the walls of Columbine that was reported incorrectly.  Dave Cullen found the truth in what happened and the stories that were reported.  One of the things that I definitely recall being cleared up was the story of a girl saying yes she believed in God.  It was reported that Cassie Bernall was asked if she believed in God by one of the shooters.  Her response was yes, and then she was shot and killed.  However, the truth in this was that Valeen Schnurr received shrapnel from a shot and started praying.  One of the shooters turned around and asked her if she believed in God.  She said yes and he reloaded his gun, but he got distracted and walked away.  Another boy in the library, Craig Bernall heard this exchange and thought it was his sister.  From there the story was told by Craig that Cassie had said yes when asked if she believed in God.  Her mother wrote a book and the world was captivated by the story of the martyr.  Dave Cullen was sure to check all evidence, get the facts, and set the story straight.  Cullen also took the time to study the shooters to give the public a better understanding of what types of people they were.  He studied their journals and videos to try to find some kind of understanding as to why they did what they did.

The one thing that I didn't like about this book was there were absolutely no pictures in it.  I understand that Cullen didn't include pictures because he wanted people to read the facts and information instead of this being a book where you gawk at the pictures.  It did allow me to really process the information, but there were times when I needed to see photo evidence of what they were talking about.  I would then stop and go search for the photo so that I understood what Cullen was referencing or to understand the events better.  He did include some journal scans and diagrams, which was nice to have, but there were definitely times when photos were desired. 

As a teacher this book was interesting to read because this was a real shooting, and one of the first of its kind, and it allowed me to see what was done correctly and incorrectly, and even things to watch for in students.  I recommended this book to our school resource officer and he said it was a book he had been wanting to read for a while.  While this book didn't have pictures, it was still wonderfully written and was full of evidence, information, and the truth.  I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Ms.Bixby's Last Day by John David Anderson

From Goodreads,

"Everyone knows there are different kinds of teachers. The good ones. The not-so-good ones. The boring ones, the mean ones, the ones who try too hard. The ones you’ll never remember, and the ones you want to forget. But Ms. Bixby is none of these. She’s the sort of teacher who makes you feel like the indignity of school is worthwhile. Who makes the idea of growing up less terrifying. Who you never want to disappoint. What Ms. Bixby is, is one of a kind.

Topher, Brand, and Steve know this better than anyone. And so when Ms. Bixby unexpectedly announces that she is very sick and won’t be able to finish the school year, they come up with a plan. Through the three very different stories they tell, we begin to understand just what Ms. Bixby means to Topher, Brand, and Steve—and what they are willing to go to such great lengths to tell her.

John David Anderson, the acclaimed author of Sidekicked, returns with a story of three kids, a very special teacher, and one day that none of them will ever forget."

Goodreads - Ms.Bixby's Last Day

This book is about three students who find out that their favorite teacher, Ms.Bixby, has cancer.  They decide to give her the best day ever and skip school to make it happen.  The book is told through the eyes of each boy and it tells of the people and obstacles the boys encounter while trying to make Ms.Bixby's best day happen.

As a teacher, this is the kind of book that moves me.  I hope that I have impacted students' lives the way that Ms.Bixby has impacted students.  I loved that the three boys each had some special connection with Ms.Bixby.  I also liked that John David Anderson took his time giving the information about the connection each boy had with Ms.Bixby.  I felt that having each of the boys have a little bit of a different story and connection made the book more relatable.  There were definitely teachers that I had that believed in me, and I remember those teachers.  I remember the teacher that bought me an ornament at Christmas because my dad was deployed.  That small gesture meant to much to me, and now every Christmas I think of her when I put the ornament on the tree.  It's the smallest things that can make an impact on a student.  I'm a teacher and sometimes I forget that even the smallest gesture can change a child's life.  I personally connected with this book on that level because it really reminded me what a difference I'm making. 

I absolutely adored this book, but I had some serious mixed feelings about the alcohol references in the book.  One of the things that the boys were determined to get was a bottle of wine for Ms.Bixby.  They ended up having to ask a guy for help buying the alcohol because obviously the kids were underage.  The guy seemed to be a real criminal and was drinking alcohol on the bus.  This book was far more mature than it had to be.  I felt like to an extent it was promoting underage purchasing of alcohol, drinking, and illegal activity.  However, it also reminded me that teachers do have lives outside of school and sometimes their perfect day includes having a glass of wine.

I loved this book and would recommend it for all teachers.  It's good to remember why you are teaching and what a difference you are making.  The chapters tended to be a little length, but I still give this book 5 out of 5 stars.