Let the Fun Begin

As we finish up a state test this week which has messed up teaching my curriculum I was thrilled to see so many of my students pull their novels out and place them on their desk.  I am under the weather and actually came in because I had to finish the testing.  I could barely speak so I told them they were going to read today.  It was a short day for them.  I kept hearing whispering and of course thought the worse.  When I stood up to say something I realized I had students with their heads together discussing what they were reading and students writing down their recommendations.  At one point I had a young girl giggling.  I told her she had to stop the the giggling.  I asked her who was making her giggle.  She looked at me confused and told me it was no one.  I asked her what was so funny that she had to constantly giggle.  She apologized and said it was the book.  She told me she would try to keep the giggling down.  I told her to feel free to giggle and to write the book on my list of books to be read. It is a strange year having so many students love to read.  It is even stranger having students from other classes come in to borrow books that my students have recommended to them.  Our reading challenge started off on Monday and the required book reviews are rolling in.  I have 43 to read this weekend.  I am so excited about the Fall Into Reading Challenge hosted at Callapidder Days and my own reading challenge at my school.   To top it all off I am a Level I Cybil's judge for Middle Grade fiction again this year.   I am also a judge for the Amish Fiction Category for Inspy.  I don't know what the five books will be but I look forward to them.  I live near a large Mennonite/Amish community and pick up a lot of my Amish fiction books at their restaurants.   I love it.   Let the fun begin and enjoy reading.