Getting through the book

So I plodding though most of Food, Girls and Other Things I Can't Have, I kinda like it.  It seemed a little conversational to me after reading the last well-written book, Jude (btw, I lent that one to a friend at the Lake and she LOVED it!)  But this other book is just a different style and I had to talk myself into continuing on with this book after page 10.  Glad I did.  Maybe it's the fact that the main character is a boy--and he's the opposite of me.  Or maybe it's because I know what he's thinking all the time--and he has weird, boy thoughts (which I don't necessarily want to know).

It's gotten better and now that the main character has shown some growth (become more normal)--I kinda want to know what happens to him in the end.  It's been slow going on the reading since I've been on vacation for 10 days without a lot of time to read.  Even though it's midnight now, I'm anxious to go to bed and read for a while.

I look forward to going to see what book to read next.  I plan on going to the library as soon as I get home from the Lake this week.  A good book is perfect for a super-hot day...you can get all snuggled in--in the air conditioning.

What are you reading that's good???  Are you accomplishing your summer reading assignment?

Hey Jude

So I finished reading Jude this morning.  What a great YA book!  The book is about a teenager that goes through some turmoil with his dad, is reunited with his mom and goes through some huge life ordeals before you learn the real mystery.  I'd recommend it to either boys or girls.  It's a real page turner and you can really relate to the characters.  Plus, even though a bit predictable, I loved the ending...

Pick it up today at your local library!  on to Food, Girls and Other Things I Can't Have.  It's on the reading list, folks:)

Have a great 4th of July.  Are you reading Ethan Frome, Pre-AP kids???

Summer Reading Assignments are 'so' fun!

I went to the library yesterday.  Not totally unusual for me.  I had a great tutoring session with a good kid.  I was trying to get him motivated to check out a book so he could complete his English IV summer reading assignment.  He really wanted to re-read (or not) a book he already read last year for a class to complete this assignment.  He must have suggested we read Animal Farm (the book he read already) 50 times, but I reassured him that finding a new book the right thing to do.  Reluctantly, we set off to find a book from the list.

So let me just say one thing.  The senior list isn't very good.  You guys going into English I should celebrate--like throw a party over your list.  (think confetti and cake here)  The English IV list is full of real classics...and when I say "real classics" I mean, books that are old and were popular when people used horse and wagons and explored the West.  But the list says that a book for this assignment must have literary merit.  As an English teacher, I do understand we all need to read books like that.  But the real problem is that I promised that I would read the book we choose WITH my student.  What was I thinking?  I wanted to run to the YA section and get a vampire book...  We finally decided to check out 1984 (one of my favorites off the list and a book I had already read).  Book was not there.  Not cool.  We trudged on.

So after several failed attempts at finding a book that sounded decent (and wasn't too long), we found Captains Courageous by the same author as Jungle Book.  It wasn't too long and looked good enough.  They only had one copy, so I sent it home with the student to get a jump start.  I reserved my copy, and I anxiously await the day until it comes in...  It sounds like a story like "The Most Dangerous Game" (remember that one from freshman year?).

With my book reserved, I had enough time to check out Jude, a YA book that looked and sounded great and a bunch of books for Cale (39 Clues, a Boxcar Children series book, the Odyssey, and a couple books on tornadoes).

So it was a successful day at the library.  And no email yet from the library saying Captains Courageous is in and waiting for me.  Ahhhh, can't start that assignment....yet.

How's your summer reading assignment coming?