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!