Summer Reading

I'm worried about my students doing their summer reading assignments.  Seriously, my own kids struggled to get in reading time this summer even after I read book after book and faithfully went to the library all summer long.

Laurel is doing her summer reading assignment right now and only when I said, "You are not having that party Wednesday if you aren't done with your assignment" did she kick it in high gear.  She is reading 1984 and had already read the Delirium series.  The journal entries aren't that bad once you get going.

Cale picked up a book (Trashed) last night (July 30) for the first time since putting his book bag in his closet in late May.  And he only did this because I wasn't feeling well, it was rainy, and he was bored outta his mind.  He read 21 pages.

I've talked to a couple of high schoolers who are thinking of dropping out of Pre AP English classes this fall because of the dreaded summer reading assignment.  I strongly urge students to just do the assignment and be prepared.  You cannot get ahead in English without the Pre AP courses.  You will NOT be able to take the AP English class your junior year if you don't take the two Pre AP classes freshman and sophomore years.  If you are college bound, I can't think of a better way to help yourself.  All classes require research, reading and writing.

Don't be lazy.  Start reading now. Like put your computer, iPad, phone down and read.  You can do it. I know you can. (and just so you know, I am going to go get my book right now too.)  Good luck and don't give up on yourself.

Pandemonium: Book 2 doesn't disappoint!

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver...well, watch the above book trailer for insight to Book 2 (sequel to Delirium). Such a great book!

In this book Lena finds out how to live in the Wilds and how to survive with those around her. She learns quite a bit about herself, learns to love again and finds people who were once close to her.

This is a great YA series. You'll "love" it. Totally worth the time.

Delirium: Best. Love. Story. This. Summer.

If you are looking for a GREAT book--fast paced, action, love story....girls, you'll wanna check out/download Delirium by Lauren Oliver right now.  Laurel said this trilogy is great and she is absolutely right on.

Another dystopian YA novel, this one is based on the fact that "love" is a disease. At age 18, you must get cured and the scientists take out love and you are "cured" not to mention the fact you are then walking zombie full of nothingness.  

Lena is just days away from the cure she's dreamed of for so long and WHAM (of course you saw this coming) she meets Alex.  Even though the plot is pretty predictable, the author does a good job of giving us a front row seat watching them fall in love.  And it makes us cheer them on for the rest of the book!

I read this in record time--my niece agrees, get the book today!  I advise you that this is the first book in a trilogy...Pandemonium is next...and the third book is due out this January.  If I didn't have some yearbooks to judge, I would start Book 2 tonight.  I cannot wait to see what happens to Lena!

Warning:  has a couple cuss words...and I'd like to say, shame on you Lauren Oliver.  So many words out there...those were totally uncalled for.

Life As We Know It: Can't stop thinking about canned food now.

Life As We Know It by Susan Beth Pfeffer is a post-apocalyptic YA book about one families' survival journey. When an asteroid hits the moon and knocks it off kilter, the world begins to self destruct. The Pennsylvania family hunkers down and faces the weather and hunger head on.

Told in a diary format, the book is fairly long but once you get into it, it goes quite fast.  Teenager, Miranda shows her strength and will to survive throughout the whole book as she grows up.  Warning though: I actually screamed when I read the last page...I was hoping for more of a resolution. I actually found out then that this is book 1 of a series....ugh!  Now I have to find out what happens to them.

It will have to wait as I checked out Delirium by Lauren Oliver yesterday.

Boy Books Galore

Over vacation, I finished Boot Camp by Todd Strasser and Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick (same author as Sold).  Both books are wonderful options for the teen-aged boy.

Boot Camp is much like the last book by the same author.  Todd Strasser depicts like inside a boot camp (not army camp but camp like "if you don't behave, I will send you away where you'll learn how to behave" camp).  Garrett, the main character, struggles to figure out how to live when he knows good and well that he's done nothing to really deserve being sent to the camp.  He struggles with others and with himself and it's a real "coming of age" story.  I even gave this book to someone while on vacation and she loved it too.

Purple Heart is an Iraq war story. Matt is injured and throughout the whole book he tries to figure out what happened before the explosion. I can't imagine any boy not liking this book.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas haunts me now

I started The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne a few days ago and stayed up until 1 a.m. to finish it last night. Gasping and holding my breath as read the last couple pages, I promptly bawled my eyes out and woke Laurel up because I had to talk to someone right away.

It is quite possibly the saddest book I've read ever. I'm emotionally drained now.  This book needs, craves, has to be paired with Night when I teach it.  Any kid who has read Night and even remotely liked it will LOVE this book.

Boyne tells a fictional WWII story about a young boy named Bruno and his family who is forced to move to a remote part of Nazi Germany because of his dad's important work.  Bruno does not understand anything of the world around him, mainly because he's so naive and is just a good, old-fashioned kid.  It's there that a friendship blossoms in the desolate, awful, hateful world around them.

That's all I'm going to tell you.  Read it.  You won't regret this one.  I also hear the movie is well done.  Read it to your elementary children. Wow. Wow. Wow.  Next on my list is to watch it on Netflix.

If I Grow Up is a real page-turner

If I Grow Up by Todd Strasser.  Started this book Sunday morning and finished before I went to bed Sunday night!  What a wonderful book!

The main character is a young teen who struggles with staying out of the gang in his inner-city life.  It was super interesting to see the world from his eyes and deal with his decisions he makes because his family is hungry.  At one point I threw the book down and cried.  And when the story was done, it made me think long afterwards.

Todd Strasser writes a awesome book that will keep you engaged the entire time.  I can't wait to pick up another book of his, Boot Camp.  I bet it's very similar.

If you are needing a good book that's super fast--try this one!  Great for girls and GUYS!  For sure, guys.