It’s Monday! What are you reading? –From Picture Books to YA–is a weekly meme hosted by Jen and Kellee at Teach Mentor Texts. Head over to their blog for links to many great blogs and a plethora of good book suggestions.
It was so nice to really be able to read every day this week. I traveled from Milwaukee to LA on Friday and had a ridiculous flight combination due to using points for my ticket. Therefore, I had hours upon hours to read (and make up for the loss of sleep from a really early morning flight). Yeah for summer #bookaday! I am actually right on track with 10 books read and 10 days off so far.
Books I Finished This Week:
Darth Paper Strikes Back by Tom Angleberger is a funny and enjoyable book. I like how the book continues in the same style as the first book. I think that all of the situations that are represented in these books are very relatable for middle school students. This series is not just for fans of Star Wars. I would recommend this book to grades 4 and up.
This is another funny book that middle school students will find to be realistic. I really love the way these stories really show a quirky set of middle schoolers and their various problems. I highly recommend the whole Origami Yoda series and will continue to encourage my students to read these books.
At the library, earlier this week, I happened to come across this book. One of Those Hideous Books Where The Mom Dies by Sonya Sones is a great book. I knew it would be a quick read since it is a novel in verse. I really enjoyed this story. The author manages to take quite a serious story and make it feel light-hearted and uplifting. I liked the way she gave a few surprise twists in the story. I will be looking for this one to buy for my class library.
I finished Notice and Note so that I would be able to participate in the last chat, but then I was unable to get to the chat. I had some last minute things to do to prepare for my travels. I love this book and will be including the teaching of signposts in my plans while working on redesigning my reading units this summer. I will be very interested to see the book about nonfiction text as well. This just makes so much sense and I am excited to apply my learning in the fall.
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn is a very dark psychological thriller, just as Gone Girl was. I am not sure I really like her books because they are so dark. The characters are kind of despicable and the world in her novels are so disturbing. However, she is really good at crafting a clever mystery and surprising twists. I read this one because Flynn is one of the authors that will be at the literary seminar I will attend in January. More about that in another post, but I will most likely read her other book sometime in the months before then.
I don’t even know what to say about Code Name Verity. It is such a beautiful and haunting story. I love the way the author chose to tell this story. It takes a little extra concentration at first to follow the stream of consciousness type writing, but then the story takes over. I didn’t see many of the twists and turns coming and I love it when authors can surprise me like that. This is a heartbreaking story about courage and friendship in an awful time. I highly recommend this one to grades 8 and up (there are some graphic scenes).
Books I am currently reading:
I am still listening to Through the Ever Night and will probably finish it this week. I have started a number of other books because of traveling and being here with my sister and the baby. I only got about 10 pages into On Writing and I will want to get more of that read this week as we start Teachers Write. I also read the first chapter of Quiet and already am having some a-ha moments. I am reading The Dead Letter Office from netgalley and am enjoying the mystery. I also started Scarlet and The Cutting Season. I was feeling quite indecisive as you can see.
What’s Next:
Since I just started most of the books I am currently reading, I have not given any thought to what comes next. I do have some digital library loans so I suppose those will be first and then I will see what I feel like reading.
What are you reading? Happy reading!
Just purchased Notice and Note, and am glad to read that you thought highly of it.
Notice and Note is high on my summer list. I have heard so much about it. My 4th graders love Tom Angleberger's books. Enjoy your week!
It is definitely a very practical book full of good ideas for helping students know what to notice while reading.
You have a lot of books going on! Through the Ever Night is fabulous. Scarlet is awesome. (Also, if you haven't heard of/read Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen, that's a fabulous read also!)
When I met Sonya Sones at NCTE, I told her that her that I've had to buy her book 3 times bc it always "disappears." Jokingly, I said she should personalize it to "For Mrs. Fountain's reaers…or whoever steals this book next :)" and she DID! She was TOO cute.
I haven't read Notice and Note yet, but it's on my summer list. I haven't read Gillian Flynn, but have heard very mixed reviews about Gone Girl. The others are favorites of mine. The title of the Somes book is hilarious. Have fun with your reading this week!
I remember seeing that tweet last fall. I think I will probably have the same problem with disappearing books, but I need to get copies of all her books for next year. I only had What My Mother Doesn't Know this year. I will have to check out the other Scarlet book also!
I was overwhelmed by Code Name Verity but in a great way. A Powerful, powerful read. I know what you mean about Gillian Flynn – at least from Gone Girl. The characters are so unlikable. But a can't put down story. Makes me happy to read primarily middle grade and young adult novels!
I completely agree with your comments about CODE NAME VERITY. It is beautifully complex, but it definitely requires no distractions! Happy reading this week!