Summer Reading

OK. So since the school year is quickly winding down and everyone is already thinking about summer and NOT about the time between now and exams, I want to get some summer reading ideas out there.

I have a coupon in my purse waiting for a free moment when I can get to the Scholastic Warehouse sale. Hopefully, I can get there before it is over. I want to get new must-read books for the summer and to put on my shelf next year.

Here are a few I may try to read between now and September, and I will continue to add to this list based on your suggestions and on other books I see or hear about:

Notice and Note (Teacher Book)
Book Love (Teacher Book)
Chasing Lincoln's Killer (Interesting title and I believe it's non-fiction)
The final Divergent series book (I don't remember what it's called, but I know my nephew loaned me the first 2 but had lost the 3rd one so I couldn't read it)


What else should I read?

Should similar story lines matter?

My latest book got me thinking, probably more than I should, but it did. I even had to ask some of my students about it.

I was reading this book that was interesting to me. I read a sample on my Kindle several weeks ago and liked it enough that I bought the book and the sequel. When my books arrived and I continued to read it, I couldn't decide if I liked it or not. It was a good enough story, don't get me wrong, but here was my problem: this story had a lot of similarities to two other questing type stories (that are/were wildly popular) that it kind of bothered me.

Have you ever heard a song on the radio that you liked, then later you found out it was a remake? You listen to the original and decide that the first version you heard was the version you preferred.

I feel like this is where I'm at with this book. It was a good book that drew me in and I finished it in less than a week. I am even 1/3 of the way through the sequel. I just can't decide how it compares to the other books and it is clouding my judgement of the book.

It bothered me so much that I checked the copyright dates of the books to see who had the ideas first to try to ease my mind. One of the similar books was printed starting in 1954 and the final books printed in 1955, the other was in 2001 through 2011, the book I just read was printed in 1991 and the second is 1998.

I still like the author and she wrote one of my favorite books, I just can't decide how I feel about these books. Should this bother me like it does? Should I like these books because they came before the other popular books?

Have you ever had this problem of similar story lines distracting you?

Recommendations

This school year I have become so much more vocal about books and reading. I love talking about books and hearing about books all of you have been reading. I hope you have heard me talk about books I have struggled with reading as well as books I have really enjoyed. I have tried to be honest with you about all of them, and I have been motivated to read more. Talking with all of you about books has motivated me to read MORE. During previous school years, I have been guilty of not reading very many choice books.

The great thing about the last few months, though, is that some of you are starting to talk back! I had one student recommendation for Song of the Sparrow, I wasn't really excited about it at first, but it was based off of an Arthurian poem, so it couldn't be too bad. I enjoyed reading that book. It had been a long time since I had a book stir my emotions so much.

After finishing that I had to find another book to read, I picked one from a favorite author, read it for a few days and it is currently abandoned. I'm nervous about it. It's a little too intense for my typical tastes. One of my seniors has picked it up, and said it's pretty interesting and pretty accurate so far. I'll let him tell me if my fears are correct when he gets to the end of the book.

A few days ago I had one student ask me if I have read any good books lately. I was in the middle of a book, but it was just OK for me. I in turn asked him if he had any recommendations for me. He didn't but said that he would let me know when he does have a suggestion.

I love getting recommendations from all around me. I love being able to talk about these books with my students.

I guess I'm just asking you to "Tell me more, tell me more" I can't wait to read what you recommend. With just a few weeks left, this has been a great year for reading.

Talking about Reading

I've had the by in from 2 other English teachers at school. I have a challenge for all of you who are reading The Sparks. If you read and comment below about what you are reading, what you think about the book, and write to each other on here about the book some of your English teachers will be willing to give you extra credit!

WooHoo! Let's get talking!

School author visit

I've made it a mission to get all of my students reading. It is no secret that I love to read anything I can get my hands on and I tell my classes that "I have a book problem." Some people adopt stray animals, I adopt stray books and hate to see them abused and euthanized (both animals and books).

This year I "force" my students in my ELA classes to read for 15 minutes at the beginning of every class. They have to complete and independent reading book project for each semester. I am so mean.

Several weeks ago I heard about an author, who was 19, scheduling school visits to talk about his book and encouraging students to read and write. I posted on here about it and looked for feedback. I didn't get any. I read his book and enjoyed it. I worked with my principal to see if we could schedule an author visit. I planned the event. We pre-ordered a few books, not enough to completely cover the cost of his visit, but enough to cut the cost. Honestly, I was hearing more "I don't read" or "I'm not a reader" than "I don't like that kind of book." My heart would break every time, but my resolve to get my school reading would solidify.

Monday, March 7th was the big day for the author visit. Students were excited to get out of class. Many girls were excited because they thought he had a "Justin Bieber look" (I don't get it either). I was excited because it was a "real author" and I had a cup of coffee after lunch (really bad idea for a high stress day, I cannot say I was "sure" that afternoon).

We had a great Creative Writing class that afternoon, because he came to work with kids on different parts of writing a story. The whole school assembly was chilling. The students were...LAUGHING! They were attentive, they were willing to answer questions (although, I'm not sure world domination is really a positive goal). After the assembly, the students who ordered books picked them up and got them signed and students could purchase books too. Several students bought books! I was beaming as my "I don't read" kids were coming up to say thank you to the author AND buying a copy of the book.

On Tuesday, the day after the event, I noticed kids carrying the book to class. I was seeing copies of The Sparks by Kyle Prue everywhere! The students in my school are starting to CARRY BOOKS...TO CLASS, and they aren't text books.

I can't wait to hear from all of you who are reading the book what you think. Please comment to share your thoughts about The Sparks and Kyle's school assembly.

Hate

Have you ever read a book or watched a movie where you really HATED a character? It has been a long time since I have truly hated a character.

I'm reading a book recommended by two of my students, Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell. One student chose to read it 1st semester and said I would really like it and that I should read it, although from other conversations with her I don't know if we have the same taste in books. The other student said she reads this book every year. It is her go to when she doesn't have a book to read. So I picked it up to read. It is based on King Arthur legends, which I love, and specifically references The Lady of Shallot, a favorite poem of mine since high school and the peak of my Anne of Green Gables days.

I was a little surprised that it is written in narrative verse. It's not bad, but I don't usually prefer it. It is the story of Elaine which I haven't read a lot about, other than she loved Lancelot, but he loved Guinevere and it crushes Elaine.

Today, while I was reading, I'm sure my students saw my jaw clench and my face get red. I was so mad at Lancelot and Guinevere in this part of the book. I really like Elaine, so all of the horrible things Guinevere says to her and Lancelot ignoring her made me angry at them. How could they be so hateful?!

I was surprised at my own reaction. How could I feel such loathing to these book characters? As I continue to read, I am dying to know what happens to Elaine next and how closely this book follows the poem. I am invested in the artfully crafted characters. I wish Elaine and Tristan could fall in love and everyone be happy. I worry about Elaine and her well being.

Now I'm not sure if I can leave the book at school for the night. Well played, author, well played.

Reading Opportunity

This week has been a rough week for teaching but a great week for reading. I have been fighting a cold that has affected my voice and my head this week so I've been out of school a lot, but I haven't been completely couch ridden. Between naps I read a book called The Sparks. I heard about it from an email I got about an author who is doing some school visits in Michigan soon. I wanted to see if it was worthwhile to see if he could come speak at our school, so i read the book. It was pretty good. I read the 300 pages in less than 2 days. It drew me in and I am curious about the next books in the trilogy.

I am working to get him to come to the school to speak to us and to come visit my creative writing class. I'm excited about the opportunity for our students, but I am a little nervous too since it will require a preorder of 70 books to cover the cost of his visit, Yikes!

It's a really great opportunity for the students, and I hope it lives up to my expectations and my readers' expectations too.

A little indecisive?

I stopped at the library on the way home yesterday to return some items I checked out and a couple items I had on hold were ready to pick up. I am now going to change the book I'm reading once again, but I WILL stick with it this time.

Am I the only one who will choose a book based on a movie or a reference from a movie?

Over the weekend, I watched Saving Mr. Banks. It is a movie about Walt Disney trying to get P.L. Travers to give him the movie rights to Mary Poppins so he could make the movie. The movie offered some insight into what Travers's life used to be like. I found it very interesting.

Several years ago I read the book Mary Poppins and I didn't really like it. I thought Mary Poppins was mean and selfish and not Julie Andrews. After watching Saving Mr. Banks I decided I needed to reread Mary Poppins and I wanted to see if there is a biography about P.L. Travers. The life described in Saving Mr. Banks, really explains why Travers's Mary Poppins is so different from Julie Andrews's Mary Poppins. I found a biography, Mary Poppins, She Wrote by Valerie Lawson.

Now I am excited to read this book and learn some more about Travers's life and Mary Poppins. When I am done reading the biography I wil reread Mary Poppins with new eyes, then I may even rewatch both movies.

I think I will be busy for a while. The nice thing is that in 1.5 weeks my 12th grade students will be choosing non-fiction independent reading books for their 2nd semester Independent Reading Project and now I can join them in their non-fiction discussions with my real-time reading.

I'm gonna...

I just have to. I'm going to quit Pan by K.R. Thompson. I like different spins on old stories...sometimes. I may later decide to pick it back up, but right now I just can't keep going.

A few weeks ago I saw this meme on Facebook:

I didn't really like it. It was dark, it was disturbing, and it explained a lot. Ugh!

I don't know which came first this meme or Pan, but that is the premise of this book, kind of.

Peter is a "guardian" who helps lead dead children to the afterlife. Tinkerbell is a pixie on Neverland and since no one is there to believe in the pixies they are starting to die. Tink thinks that if Peter came to Neverland and believes in pixies he will save them. If he goes to Neverland he will become real. He goes. They need more help to save the pixies so he starts to bring boys to Neverland using the skills he gained as a guardian. One night he went back to his old house where a woman was putting her boy to bed and he thought it was his mother who had forgotten about him. So he steals the child!

This is where I just have to stop. I don't like Peter, I don't like the premise, and I don't like that it is ruining a childhood favorite movie and a pretty decent original book.

Time to move on to something a little better. I think I will try a book one of my 10th graders read and recommended to me. I'll let you know how it goes.

The Sparks

Has anyone read a book by Kyle Prue called The Sparks.

He will be doing a school/book tour here in Michigan in February and March. I'm curious to see if there is any interest in hearing him speak in our area.

There is a cost, but if we have at least 70 book pre-ordered, that may cover the cost.

Is there interest in the school?

Finally!

It's happened. The book that I have been complaining about since the Break, the one that was slow and I was having a hard time getting into, well I reached 50% today with it. Now, I am having a hard time putting it down and am currently over 75%. It took me one day to go this last 25% and almost 2 weeks to go the first 50%! I have finally become invested and interested in the characters. My perception and impression of the book has changed. I have finally been drawn into this book. I want to know what happens to the main characters. Will they find happiness? Will their questions get answered?

I wish it didn't take so long, but here's what I'm thinking, and you may not like it, some times you have to just slog through a book that should hold your interest and see if your thoughts change. You may be surprised or you may be horribly disappointed. If you keep going, though, you will have an answer and you will have knowledge to back up your opinion.

A new book

I've admitted to my students this year that I am a Book Nerd and I have a "book problem." There hasn't been a Christmas list that didn't have a book on it. I collect books and some people collect pennies. I struggle with the desire to give each book a new home.

This Christmas I gave a new home to two books that I am particularly excited about. One was The Curse of the Capistrano or The Mark of Zorro, but I am not ready to release it into the wild of my classroom. The other book will be immediately released into the wild. This book is called Wild Boy.

Three years ago, I checked out several books from the public library and set them on my desk to give my students some suggestions for independent reading books. They seemed to like this since there were several that would borrow these books from me in class. Wild Boy was one of these books, it is a quick read and it is a non-fiction book about a young boy found in the woods outside of a village in France. I found the story fascinating and a little sad. There have been multiple students who have picked this book up over the last couple years and gave it good reviews. I'm excited to permanently have this book on my shelf for more students to try.

What books have you been excited for someone to read?

By the way, there is a new challenge. See the comments on the challenge page. =)

Dragging

Over the holiday break, I read a couple books and I started a new one, The Centurion's Wife. The last few books I read I had no problem getting to the end. I read them in just a couple days, granted I had more time, but they were interesting reads that made me want to sit down and sneak in a couple minutes of reading as much as I could. When I chose to read The Centurion's Wife, I picked it because it sounded more interesting than the other books I have right now and I wanted a break from the Sci-Fi/Fantasy books. I just wanted to read something a little different. I am struggling, though.

The Centurion's Wife is has an interesting premise and was co-written by an author that I used to really enjoy reading. It is the story of a young woman who is a servant in Pontius Pilate's house, she is also his niece. Pilate was the Roman governor that Jesus was brought before for trial and ultimately his crucifixion. The story is set soon after the Crucifixion. The woman, Leah, finds out that a centurion has asked to marry her, and she doesn't want to marry. Pilate has promised Leah's hand in marriage to the centurion for a price. What happens in this story against this particular backdrop is why I have kept reading so far.

It kind of draws my attention, but I am struggling to get through this book. I fall asleep on the couch, I get distracted in class, and I am just dragging through this book. I need to finish it; someone I know read this book and really liked it, but I feel like setting it aside and finding a different book that I know will be a quick read.

Have you ever felt this way? What book did you struggle with? Why was this book a struggle? What did you do, did you quit it or did you force yourself to finish?

What should I do?

Grrrr.... Nobody likes reading...

It's Monday, we're back at school after two weeks off and I'm trying to get my class back into the routine. We read for 15 minutes at the beginning of the hour and a few students are making it difficult for anyone to read. Why? Because "nobody likes reading."

This statement pains me for so many reasons.

1. It is infringing on the other students' right to read (who wants to argue with a loud classmate anyway?).
2. It is robbing my students of the opportunity to experience another world without leaving home and possibly find something they do enjoy.
3. It is robbing these particular students of an opportunity of choice. For these 15 minutes each of my students get to choose whatever they want to read, kids book, YA book, magazine, reading homework.

So, really, does nobody like reading? Honestly? No! Believe it or not people do like to read, and some of those people may surprise you. .

There are times I will admit that I don't want to read or I don't like what I am reading that is OK. It's OK to not like what you are reading. So when you have the opportunity to choose what to read, pick something you do like. Quit robbing yourself and look closely at the real reason why "nobody likes reading."

So, why don't you read?

This is really why I started this blog, to give those of you who do like to read a quiet place to speak up and talk about what you are reading and what you like without having a boisterous classmate make you feel like a weirdo. It's OK to talk about reading, what you like and what you don't like, don't let classmates stifle your voice when they aren't even around. 

Let's talk.