Pretties: what an ending.

Pretties is such a great book.  Such twists and turns it takes in the end.  I actually lol'ed and gasped while reading with my students today in class.  The main character, Tally Youngblood, has so much, ummmm, gumption.

gump·tion

   [guhmp-shuhn]  Show IPA

noun Informal .

1.

initiative; aggressiveness; resourcefulness: With hisgumption he'll make a success of himself.

2.

courage; spunk; guts: It takes gumption to quit a high-paying job.

3.

common sense; shrewdness.

She can get herself out of any situation. Like anything.  I went directly to the library and checked out the 3rd book:  Specials.  I'm so excited.  

It was so great to see everyone so excited about taking Reading Counts! quizzes today.  And you were asking for help to find a good book.  We're really going to raise some Lexile and MAP scores with all our hard work!  Happy reading.

Can you read 2 books at the same time? I can.

So I'm reading 2 books right now.  I usually only have time to read, umm, no books.  But I'm making reading a priority because I'm making reading a priority for my students.  They have to see me read.  They have to see me "want" to read.  They needs to know sometimes, it's ok to want to sit and watch a completely mindless TV show like "Bachelor Pad".  They have to know that blowing an hour on Facebook is OK, but you still have homework and reading to complete.  And you have to read.  There's no way around it.


I'm reading Pretties by Scott Westerfield.  It's a great book.  It's a thriller...keeps me guessing.  And during Core Plus, I pull the book out and read.  And it's painful because I could be answering email, grading those pesky ungraded essays, taking attendance, making sure the kids are reading, watching the wasp in my room (does it really have a nest above the 4th light back?).  But I'm glad I force myself to read during class.  It makes me a better reader.  Period.  Case closed.


And at night before I go to sleep, I started reading Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine.  The narrator of the book as Asberger's--a form of autism.  It's so neat to see the world through Caitlin's eyes.  At first I did not like the book, but Caitlin is growing on me.  I'm interested to see how she thinks, what she'll do.  I recommend it.  And it's 11 SRC! points.


And by the way, I heard that this blog was passed around on Facebook by my 8th grade students.  I'm flattered.  Truly.  I'm glad you're talking about reading or at least were interested enough in a teacher who blogs about reading to post it and click on the link.  Do it again.  I dare you to link it to Facebook.  I'll read more if I know you're listening, I mean reading.  And I hope it shows you I care about your reading success.  Cuz I do. (you want to edit that, don't you?)


Now get off this blog and read!

Good reads in the library

So I took my classes to the library and Mrs. Brockman, our new rock-star quality librarian, recommended some great books!  Here they are:

Secret Lives of Bees
Peak
Found
anything by Sara Dessen
anything by Nicholas Sparks
Hunger Games
Uglies/Pretties
Zen and the Art of Faking It
anything by Mike Lupica
Mark Twain nominees http://thelibrary.org/kids/bookplanet/twain.cfm
Truman award winners http://thelibrary.org/teens/bltruman.cfm
13 Reasons Why
Code Orange


Some book recommendations from my friends:
authors Terry Pratchell or Neil Gaiman
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer
The Cay
Lord of the Flies
"Life as We Knew It", Joan Baurer books
"Hattie Big Sky"
"Penny from Heaven"
"Fly Girl"
"Someone named Eva"
"Dragon Slippers"
"Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life"
"The Lightning Thief"
Heist
Matched
My Name is Memory
Adoration of Jenna Fox
The House of the Z Scorpion
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Last Thing I Remember
Good luck finding a great book and get reading!