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!

Kicking Off Summer Reading AND a Great Book!

It's hard to believe the school year is winding down!  The idea of how to motivate 400 students to read over the summer is always daunting.  Here is what I have done so far:  1.  Talked highly of the reading, giving the various ways students can win prizes for reading over the summer  2.  Kicked off our Second Annual Book Exchange to take place the last Friday of the year  3.  Tried to entice them with amazing stories to end the year.  What are some things you all are doing? 

Here is one book I will highly recommend!  I LOVED the Adventures of Beanboy!  Most of my students love graphic novels and this story shows how one boy created his own sidekick for a contest.  It's so cool to see the creative process being worked out in someone else, even in a book.  The story is also well written, funny and engaging.  Tucker MacBean must find a superhero's heart to complete his work, and I love how he finds his.  It's great to see that although life becomes better for his arch nemesis, Sam Zawicki, it isn't suddenly perfect.    Three Cheers for The Adventures of Beanboy!   I'm looking up Lisa Harkrader's first book now.... always in quest of another GREAT book!

Reading with Our Children

Last night my daughter and I finished reading Lisa Yee's Warp Speed.  This
was a fantastic story to read together.  The story is wonderful for learning to be
who you want to be.  The Star Wars and Star Trek references were awesome
as I have to admit to being something of a Trekkie myself growing up.  (My
brother made sure of that!)  So my daughter and I began to watch some of
those early Star Trek episodes and the Star Wars I grew up on to give her
some reference of what Marley was talking about.  We watched Casablanca
 so my daughter understand the reference to Victor Lazlo. We loved reading this book
and could not wait for the next evening to find out what the Captain's Log would
offer.  GREAT book!  And I can't say enough about reading together.  These are moments
we both will remember and cherish!

A New Year a New Start!

This past year has been filled with amazing stories!  Among my favorites:  The Emerald Atlas, Dead End in Norvelt, Bigger Than a Breadbox, Inside Out and Back Again.  I am anxiously looking forward to the results of the Newbery Awards.  And to more incredible books.  I hope to use this blog more seriously in the coming year to chat about books I have loved and to share my joy in reading!  Here's to a fantastic 2012!