Summer Reading -- 1/2 way point

As we near July, I thought I'd share some of the summer reading I've been doing.  I believe in the power of reading - it engages the brain in ways that can touch the depth of our souls.  It gives the reader a framework from which he can build empathy, make decisions, and grow.

It's also one of the most important ways to keep the summer slide from happening educationally.

Seriously.  Reading a book that you enjoy is so important.

Since I say this to my students, I want to make sure I keep abreast of what is new in literature.  Before I put it on my shelves, I want to read it first.  I come to the table as a teacher, parent, learner, and lover of the written word.

Some books I want to discuss with parents first.  I want them to know the content so they can have conversations with their kids about it (or read it with them . . . that's always my first choice).  Others go directly to my shelves.  I haven't decided where all of these will fall yet . . . so I'm just sharing my list.

This is simply what I've read this summer -- it's not my "favorite list ever" books.  I may generalize into suggesting for a "boy" or "girl" -- but those are loose terms.  In reality, a good book is a good book in the hands of either gender.

Books for "girls":

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson -- I love this book.  It's about a girl who deals with her issues by running away from them.  Through this coming of age, she learns that in reality, facing them is how you grow.  It discusses forgiveness, love, and dealing with loss.

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson -- Who doesn't love a good road trip story?  Facing the reality of the death of her father, Amy drives across the country with a family acquaintance.  This one has a little more edge on the issue of sexuality, but it is neither highlighted or overly specific. 

Mindspeak by Heather Sunseri --  The first in a trilogy, Lexi Matthews has no one to trust.  Her father is missing, and the more she learns about her past, the more questions she has.  It involves special abilities in being able to influence people's thoughts and healing. It is just the beginning of what she is capable of -- book 2 is on it's way to my house, and Ms. Sunseri is in the process of writing book 3.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins -- Imagine going to France for your senior year to live in a boarding school.  It's a romantic book about life, growing up, letting go, and moving forward.

Rebel Spirits by Lois Ruby -- I fell in love with Lois Ruby's writing when I was in college.  My professor had her come and do literary conferences with us, and I loved how she could blend modern day with the past, with just a hit of paranormal.  This book follows the same pattern.  Where better to set a book about the Civil War than in a historic bed and breakfast in Gettysbury, Pennsylvania. 

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han -- Lara writes love letters to boys when she is ready to get over a crush.  She details the things she likes about her current obsession as well as expressing her inner feelings.  She never intends to mail them; it's her form of closure.  Until they get mailed . . .

Ask Again Later by Liz Czukas -- Imagine two dates to prom -- a football player trying to recover from being dumped and the other a theater friend . . . only to find out that her true interest is somewhere else.  Told from alternating perspectives, I liked the layout of this book.

Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter -- I had a student recommend this to me in May.  It's not my typical read, but I found myself engaged in the first book of the triology.  Alice Bell learns that what she thought was an overprotective parent was really someone fighting to keep her safe -- from zombies.  Now she must avenge her family by learning how to fight. (I also read the second book -- and like the Twilight series -- sexuality was more of an issue.  It was still good.)

We Were Liars by e. lockhart -- This book was haunting for me.  It goes beyond the façade of a wealthy family and looks at reality.  After all, what we assume about others is rarely true.

The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson -- Post-traumatic stress syndrome.   Returning from the war made Hayley's father different. He dealt with depression, fear, silence, and demons.  Hayley struggles to care for her father, their family, and learning to look to the future.

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han -- Dealing with life, death, and love.  This book captures the inner turmoil of Belly and the families that have "summered" together for years. It is a coming of age story.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher -- I wish I could rewind the past in this book.  It's a haunting tale told from the grave. This is another book that haunts me.  What can we do so it doesn't get to this point? 

The One by Kiera Cass -- My daughter could hardly wait until the third book in The Selection series came out.  My students were the same way.  I consider this a cross between The Bachelor and The Hunger Games.

Books for "boys":

Boy 21 by Matthew Quick -- A basketball story that isn't just about basketball.  It's about adjustments, refocusing, the Irish Mob, and finding your voice.  I can't say enough about this book. 

Feed by M.T. Anderson -- A science fiction piece of work where we all have a feed implanted in our brain - to play games, watch shoes, participate in chats, and of course, be bombarded by ads.  A computer in your brain can be cool, until you're hacked on the moon.

Payback Time by Carl Deuker -- He's become one of my "go to" middle school authors.  In this one a young journalist discovers quite a bit about secrets, journalistic integrity, and investigation.  Of course it also has a healthy dose of football.

Night Hoops by Carl Deuker -- a novel about choices and basketball.  It's also about reputations and seeing beyond them.  This is a book that will grab a sports enthusiast and give him a lot to think about.

Full Tilt by Neal Shusterman -- Imagine a carnival where one has to survive seven deadly rides before dawn -- each one representing a deep fear of yours in order to save your soul - and those of your sibling and friends.  The protagonist needs to dig deep for this one.

Thin Space by Jody Casella -- Identical twins in a car wreck.  One survives.  This is the story of the other struggling to find his way back to his brother to fix what he regrets the most.

Books for "all":

The Noticer Returns by Andy Andrews -- Many of my students fell in love with The Noticer last spring when we read it in class . . . can you say, PERSPECTIVE?  Guess what?  Andy found Jones again.  Filled with new ways of noticing the small things, I had a hard time putting this one down.

Anne Frank and the Children of the Holocaust by Carol Ann Lee -- a great companion to The Diary of Anne Frank (which we read) this gives a broader perspective of the tragedy in Europe during World War II.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card -- My husband pestered me to read this for years.  It took two students begging me to do so this year to make it happen.  All three of them were right.  It's intense, about gaming, the military breeding fighting geniuses -- and how a young man needs to be smart enough to save the planet.  But at what cost?  There are so many levels to this book.

Paper Towns by John Green --  Last summer I read Looking for Alaska and The Fault in our Stars, but I was hesitant to read this one.  I'm not sure why.  It made me think -- on a lot of levels . . . actions, consequences, clues, and asking why? 

Professional reads:

Whole Novels for the Whole Class: A student centered approach by Ariel Sacks -- Would you go to a movie if you needed to stop every half hour and discuss the literary elements?  Ariel says that we do this to good literature and provides ways to help students engage completely in novels while keeping them accountable for what they're read.  It aligns with #CCSS standards and gives readers techniques to tackle grade appropriate texts independently.

Creative Confidence by the Kelley brothers -- I spent the first part of the book speaking aloud to the authors -- YES! We need to instill a love of being creative, thinking critically, getting outside of the box.  The second half of the book was again, YES! It gave practical advice on how to look at things from a different perspective and encourage the creative spirit that we ALL possess.  I hope I'm able to share this love with my students.

The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child by Donalyn Miller -- I'm not sure that I need to say more about this book.  It's amazing. Choice leads the child to re-engage in reading, a love of the written word and gives a challenge for each child to read 40 books a year. 

642 Things to Write About by the San Francisco Writers' Group -- How do you become a better writer?  Write.  Often. About many things.  This book provides the prompts and has gotten the ideas flowing.