Monday, June 21, 2010

Spring Reading Thing Wrap Up

I have thoroughly enjoyed participating in the Spring Reading Thing.  I removed and added books to my list.  Part of the reason for this was end of school crunch and I had students who wanted to read the books on my list.  They were at home and I had to bring them in.  I didn't get them back in time.  Some of them I wanted to put off because they were part of a series and I planned on reading them over the summer.  I added several because I had heard they were really good or requested an ARC because I wanted to read it.  All in all I am pleased with my list.  I did read more than is on the list but decided not to add them in.  My final tally of books read were:  Children's - 10 books, Books I had to read for school 5, and Books I wanted to read for me 35 for a total of 50 books.

I had several favorites this Spring.  The first was "The Comet's Curse" by Dom Testa  because it combined an excellent cast of characters, a to die for plot and was educational as well.  I had to look things up and share the facts with the students which made more of them want to read it.

For the Scariest book I read this Spring I would have to pick "The Pricker Boy" by Reade Scott Whinnem.  I was afraid to close my eyes after reading it.  I was awake all night.  I talked about it so much I actually loaned it to a student to read over the summer. 

"Leaving Gees" Bend by Irene Latham was another favorite.  It contained not only a fabulous character and history but it was told through the idea of a quilt and I am a quilter and bring quilting into my classroom.  I can't wait for my students to read it.

My least favorite book I read was "The Book Girl and the Suicidal Mime" by Mizuke Nomura.  First of all let me say I don't care for Manga very much.  I student loaned it to me to read.  I thought he had read it and was enthusiastic about me reading it.  He said his mom told him he had to let me read it.  I found out later that she works at a book store and didn't like manga and tried to get her son to read and review it for her and he didn't want to read it but he knew of a teacher who blogged about the books she read.  The plot line was okay.  It felt a little strange because we are not, or at least I am not used to the Japanese style of writing.  I would probably not read  another book  by this author, only because their style fo writing is not to my taste.

I was disappointed I didn't get to spend more time with my Granddaughter.  Their schedules and mine conflicted.  Her mom tried to take her to the library in her town (20 miles north of me) and she told her mom, "No the library is for me and Girlfriend".  It has become our special place.  I am the only one who takes her there.  Her parents buy her books all the time as do I.  I learned there were so many more books I want to read and haven't gotten to yet.  I've also learned that when you are required to read a book for work something like this is the way to get it done.  I look forward to the Fall Into Reading Challenge Next year followed by the Spring Reading Thing.  I have convinced the principal to put it on the official school calendar that our students will be participating in this reading challenge that will go from the second week of school until Spring Break.  We are looking at giving away a couple of ipods and I hope to give away a Nook to a teacher.   Either way I want to thank Katrina for hosting both of these challenges.  They have become two of my favorites and with me reducing the challenges I participate in next year, these two will be at the top of the list to stay.  I hope everyone enjoyed themselves as much as I did.  Happy Summer Reading. 

Reading With Haylee
1. Whales by Gallimard Jeunesse
2. Too Too Many Tutus by Suzanne Davis Marion
3. The Tallest of Smalls by Max Lucado
4. Is There a Monster Over There? by Sally O. Lee
5. Whose House? by colin & Jacqui Hawkins
6. Farmer Brown Goes round and Round by Teri sloat
7. The I Believe Bunny by Tish Rabe
8. Beautiful Zoo Animals by Share-a-Book
9. Snugg by Stephen Cosgrove
10. Humbugg by Stephen Cosgrove

Books I Must Read for School
1. Success For Teens - Success Foundation
2. Believing the Hype - Darrell "Coach D" Andrews
3. Purpose Living Teen - Darrell "Coach D" Andrews
4. Readicide by Kelly Gallagher (I am reading this to prepare a presentation to the principal)
5. Engaging Readers and Writers With Inquiry by Jeffrey D. Wilhelm

Books I want to read for Me
1. Ruby of the Realms - Dan Kamin
2. 8th Grade Superzero - Olugbemisola Rhuday Perkovich
3. Thin Places - Mary E. DeMuth
4. Smudge's Mark - Claudia Osmond
5. White Cat - Holly Black
6. Numbers - Rachel Ward
7. Crazy in the Cockpit - Randy Blume
8. Forget Me Not - Vicki Kinzie
9. Time Pirate - Ted Bell
10. Just As Long As We're Together - Judy Blume
11. The Xenocide Mission - Ben Jeapes
12. Twenty Gold Falcons - Amy Gordon
13. Book Girl and the Suicidal Mime - Mizuke Nomura
14. Hazardous to My Health the Marlboro Man I Knew - Marcia N. Hill
15. The Comet's Curse - Dom Testa review
17. Ice Shock - M.G. Harris
18. Butterfly - Sonya Hartnett
19. The Last Christian - David Gregory
20. The Pricker Boy - Reade Scott Whinnem
21. Virginia - Susan Hughes
22. The Body Finder - Kimberly Derting
23. I Am Nujood Age 10 and Divorced
24. Flying Solo - Ralph Fletcher
25. Lawn Boy - Gary Paulsen
26. Lawn Boy Return - Gary Paulsen
27. Rooms - James L. Rubart
28. Living Dead Girl - Elizabeth Scott
29. Ice Cold - Tess Gerritsen.
30. Unseen - Nancy Bush
31. Souls of the Fire Dragon
32. Keeper - Kathi Appelt
33. Leaving Gees Bend - Irene Latham
34. Powerless - Jason Letts
35. Living Dead Girl - Elizabeth Scott

4 comments:

  1. It’s great that you lend your books. Books deserve to be passed around. I have too many sitting idle on my shelves. Looks like you succeeded in getting quite a bit of reading done. Congrats!

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  2. 50 books -- awesome job! And I also love the way you continue to passionately promote reading at your school. The kids will benefit SO much from your hard work and enthusiasm!

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  3. Wow, looks like you accomplished a lot! I agree with Katrina. Love that you promote reading at your school!

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  4. You did fantastic on this challenge.

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