Reading Conference Wonders

There is nothing like the excitement of hearing what others are doing to get kids reading.  Two and a half days of inspiring, fascinating, creative people have me revved up and ready to get back to school and try out some of the ideas I heard during the Virginia State Reading Association conference this week in Richmond.  I was lucky enough to meet Jeff Kinney!!! 
         Yes, this really is Jeff Kinney's hand signing a book for Highland Park Elementary!

Wow!  I met Jarrett Krosoczka!!

I got to hear how the lunch lady was created WHILE eating breakfast with Donalyn Miller!

And I finally heard how Batman REALLY came to be from author Marc Tyler Nobleman.

The entire conference reinforced my passion for reading and getting kids to open a book.
Reading is Life.

It's Monday!  What am I reading?

In the kid world...

1.  Smek for President by Adam Rex

J Lo is one of my absolute favorite characters.  I am listening to this one and adore the voices the narrator uses for this version.  I have been a huge Adam Rex fan, and at the National Book Festival a few years ago in DC he mentioned the movie version of Smek Day would be coming.  So excited to see it's almost here!

2.  Just starting Edison's Alley by Neil Shusterman and Eric Elfman.  Can't wait to dig in to this tonight.  I very much enjoyed Tesla's Attic so excited to read the sequel.

3.  My lunch time read this week is The Girl From Felony Bay by J. E. Thompson.  I am loving the wonderfully strong Abby Force!  The book is fast paced and difficult to put down when lunch time is over.

4.  And as I am wrapping up a six day snow day run by finally getting back to work tomorrow (still a 2 hour delay!) I also got some adult reading in this week.  LOVE this book!  Jojo Moyes is amazing!

Well that's my line up for the week!   Can't wait to stop tomorrow and get Mark of the Thief!  I have waited rather impatiently for this one.  The False Prince trilogy blew me away!  

What I have been reading this week..

Well on this cold and snowy week it is about time that I renew my vow (and New Year's resolution!) to write in my blog.  I happened upon the What are You Reading? question on Teach Mentor Texts and thought this is an easy way to get back at it.  It has been a snow week for us in my school district so I have had an unexpected week off... and I have put it to good use!

Here is what I have read so far:




1.  Ruby Goldberg's Bright Idea by Anna Humphrey (loved it!)

2.  Nest by Esther Ehrlich (deep!)

  3.  All the Answers by Kate Messner (woohoo!!) 

4. Unstoppable Octobia May by Sharon Flake (interesting... )

5.  Jack:  The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk by Liesel Shurtliff (Yeah!)
 

6.  The Compass of Dreams (Enchanted Emporium book #2) by Pierdomenico Baccalario (love a good magical adventure!)

7.  Masterminds by Gordon Korman (not finished yet... but LOVING it!  Great adventure!)

For professional development (and a class I am taking) I am reading The Digital Writing Workshop by Troy Hicks.
 And for adult reading I am reading Four Years in Paradise by Osa Johnson.
 (A bit old fashioned in her thinking... but enjoying the overall story).

Gotta love a good snow day for getting some reading done!
Thanks to M Shelton for the snowman picture....

I LOVE this time of year!

Fall is my favorite time of the year.  The spicy smell of the leaves, the crisp nights just asking for a soft blanket and a good book!  Apple cider, pumpkin spice lattes!  All my favorites!  And one new favorite of fall is the National Book Festival.  This was the second year I attended and it was amazing!  I got to see several of my favorite authors... Jon Klassen, Richard Peck, Jon Scieszka, Oliver Jeffers, Grace Lin, Jennifer and Matthew Holm, Matthew Kirby!  It was amazing.  My daughter and I also toured through a bit of the Smithsonian while we were in DC.  Fun times!

While I sat in line waiting to meet all of these amazing authors I was reading.  This year I read Counting by 7's by Holly Goldberg Sloan.
It was hard to stay focused on keeping up with the line to see each author I was so in to the story.  Right away I became attached to Willow Chance.  It was hard to see her pain in the pages of the book.  But I have always loved a story where the main character becomes something better because of something they have gone through.  The people who became champions of Willow Chance also became better people from knowing her.  The book might have been a bit predictable, but that didn't stop me from totally enjoying this book!  I laughed, I cried, I had a good time.  If you love a good realistic fiction read... pick up Counting by 7s!

Another Amazing Title!

I am a huge fan of Wendy Mass and this time she has taken space, matter and the creation of the universe, totally deep subjects and molded a warm, sincere, fantastic tale of friendship and pie.  I loved Joss and Annika and the friendship they develop. 

The Realms sound like an awesome place to visit.  I hope that we have someone like Kal's parents watching out for Earth.  And even though the story seems hard to fathom, it becomes real with the friendship that develops between Joss and Annika.  If you like science fiction, adventure, and stories of true friendship this is the book for you!  Thanks for the e-galley!  Look forward to Pi in the Sky in a book store near you this summer!

Getting Back to Reading

It's been a crazy school year and I haven't read or blogged nearly as much as I would like.  I did read one amazing book last month!

The problem with series books is that when they hook you in, you have MONTHS or a YEAR to impatiently wait for the next book.  This is one of those series.  I LOVED the False Prince!  Then, I read The Runaway King on netgalley before it was published, and LOVED it!  Now I will spend months waiting to see what will happen in this amazing series!  If you love adventure, characters who think on their feet, friendship with a hint of romance this is the series for you!  Pick it up and READ!

Summer Reading Update

Hopefully all of you are well underway with some amazing books for summer reading!  I am going to share a book I read in the spring, because I LOVED it and let you know what is currently on my TBR pile or To Be Read pile.

First... one of my favorite books I have read so far this year is The False Prince.  This is the tale of Sage, an orphan who has been bought by Connor, a ruthless nobleman of the court determined to find a boy to become the false prince.  Connor attempts to train Sage and two other orphans in the ways of the court so that he can rule through this boy.  There is action, suspense, twists and turns in this amazing book!  Check it out at your local library!  Or better yet... add it to your own personal library!

Other books on my TBR include:  Mousenet, A Hero for Wondla, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again, Wonder, Storybound, A Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom, the Castle of Shadows and MORE!  I LOVE Summer Reading!