Kellee – Page 268 – Unleashing Readers

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 7/29/13

July 27, 2015July 29, 2013 by Kellee

IMWAYR

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It’s also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…you just might discover the next “must-read” book!

Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join us! We love this meme and think you will, too.

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Announcements

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

LINDA B.

DONNA M.

Last Week’s Posts

**Click on any picture above to view the post**

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: I feel like I have really been struggling with reading this summer. Usually summers are my free time where I find myself taking part in #summerthrowdown and #bookaday, but I have not been reading enough to do either. I think it is because I have A) been writing and researching a lot this summer; B) taught summer reading camp and been doing a lot of professional development; C) just wanted to relax when I finally had free time. The thing is, though, I feel guilty for not reading as much. Guilty only because I have higher expectations for myself. I only have 2 weeks left of summer and I just know I am not going to live up to those expectations now, so I am working on realizing it is okay. Has anyone else felt this way ever?

This week I was able to read a couple of books among my classroom moving (I am officially my school’s reading coach next year, so I had to move from the largest classroom in the school to a room that is half the size of a normal classroom; however, we did it in just 2 days!!) and the Solution Tree PLC Conference:

First, because of all of the driving, I did finish Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls (audiobook) by David Sedaris. I loved it like all of his books, but I found that some parts of it were majorly serious and just didn’t affect me as much. I also read two nonfiction picture books that I really enjoyed and will definitely share on a NF PB Wednesday- Bone by Bone: Comparing Animal Skeletons by Sara C. Levine and Hey Charleston!: The True Story of the Jenkins Orphanage Band. Next I read Doug TenNapel’s newest graphic novel Tommysaurus Rex which will definitely fly off my shelf when the school year begins (and I’ll be reviewing on Friday). Finally, I read a humorous poetry book called I Could Pee On This and Other Poems by Cats by Francesco Marciuliano which had some quite hilarious kitty poems.

Ricki: For starters, I finished The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. I liked it, but I didn’t love it as much as I thought I would (isn’t that usually the case with classics?). Then, I read The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate because so many of you commented on last week’s post that it was a must read. THANK YOU! I loved it.

And then something magical happened. I couldn’t decide which book to read out of the stacks that covered my floor, and I discovered NetGalley. Okay, I always knew about it, but I didn’t realize just how awesome it was. I have been attached to my Kindle all week. I read The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle which was great—come back Thursday for the review. Because I am a Micmac Indian, I couldn’t resist ordering and reading Real Justice: Convicted for being Mi’kmaq: The Story of Donald Marshall Jr. (swing by on Wednesday for that review). And lastly, I also finished my 600-page book, Baby Bargains by Denise and Alan Fields, as I am trying to get a head-start on my baby registry. If you are a new mom or going to be a new mom, this one is great. It came highly recommended to me. I am pretty proud of myself this week. Perhaps, I will get back on track with my reading goal.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I am currently on vacation and brought a bunch of books with me, so I will have to pick out of them which I’m going to read. I have a pile of nonfiction picture books from the library, some graphic novels, and a few novels. I know I definitely am going to read Feynman by Jim Ottaviani this week as @CbethM and @mselke highly recommended it and I requested it from the library because of them. I hope that this week will be a more successful reading week as I have no work things to do!! *fingers crossed*

Ricki: Because I am new to NetGalley, I recently learned that most publishers request that people not blog about their books until 30 days prior to their publication. This is a bummer for me because I like to share about a book right after I read it to hear your thoughts. So I have to slow down on my galleys. First, I am going to finish the galley, The Truth about You & Me by Amanda Grace. I started it last night and am enjoying it thus far. It is about a high school teen who takes a college course and falls in love with the professor (scandalous!). Then, I want to read The Nazi Hunters by Neal Bascomb. It is a YA narrative nonfiction text, and I love World War II books, so I am excited. A few of the books I received aren’t going to be published for a few months, so we will see if I can hold off. If not, I will have to read them and then twiddle my thumbs until I am allowed to post their reviews. I am a very patient person, except when it comes to sharing about books. I’ve been known to drive to friends’ houses to deliver a book that they “must read!”

Upcoming Week’s Posts

So, what are you reading?

Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading.
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1.	Megan Ginther	18.	Erika Victor	35.	Page (One Book At A Time)
2.	Jen @ The Uninterrupted Reader	19.	Maria Selke @Mselke01	36.	Mandy @ The Reading Diaries
3.	Earl-The Chronicles Of A Children's Book Writer	20.	Kate @ Reading Past Bedtime	37.	Elisabeth @ The Dirigible Plum
4.	Shannon @ I Run Read Teach	21.	Andrea @ Mrs Payan Reads	38.	Sarah @ Page Appropriate
5.	Tara @ A Teaching Life	22.	Lorna Wheaton @ Not For Lunch	39.	LisaILJ @ I'll Tumble for YA
6.	Crystal @ Reading Through Life	23.	Mindi Rench	40.	Library Fanatic
7.	Debbie - Styling Librarian	24.	Renee Brandon @ Thoughtful Corners	41.	Jennifer @ Fountain Reflections
8.	Julee Murphy @ Book Egg	25.	Mrs. Uribe (Rutledge Library Blog)	42.	Katherine Sokolowski
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11.	Beth Shaum	28.	LibLaura5	45.	Colby
12.	Melanie Meehan	29.	Jeanne @ True Tales & A Cherry On Top	46.	Ms. O
13.	Myra @ GatheringBooks	30.	Lesley	47.	Cindy B
14.	Melanie Swider	31.	Megan@ YA? Why Not?	48.	Alyson (Kid Lit Frenzy)
15.	Natalie Dias Lorenzi @Biblio Links	32.	Catherine @ Reading to the Core	49.	Michelle Glatt @ I Push Books
16.	Stephanie Shouldis	33.	Leonardo's Bookshelf	50.	Julie Webb @ LitCentric
17.	Ms. Yingling	34.	The Book Monsters

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Top Books for Struggling/Reluctant Middle School Readers

August 20, 2023July 28, 2013 by Kellee

For my first 5 years of teaching, I taught 6th and 7th grade Language Arts; however, in 2011, I switched to teaching Intensive Reading for the students in my school who had not passed the state assessment. When I moved to primarily teaching struggling readers, I knew I had to exam more deeply which books would truly grab these students’ attention and help them identify as readers. After a year in this position, I have some go-to books that I find have become great foundations for my students to grow into just plain readers, not struggling or reluctant. And now, after two years as an intensive reading teacher, I’m very lucky to become my school’s Reading Coach. I cannot wait to help all of the struggling/reluctant readers in our school find the just-right books to make them love reading.

Top 20 Books for Struggling and Reluctant Middle School Students 2012-2013

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (series) by Jeff Kinney

Big Nate (series) by Lincoln Peirce

Amulet (series) by Kazu Kibuishi
(And Kazu’s anthology Explorer is a big hit between Amulet books.)

Bone (series) by Jeff Smith

Knights of the Lunch Table (series) by Frank Cammuso

Graphic novels Bad Island, Ghostopolis, Tommysaurus Rex, and Cardboard by Doug TenNapel

Sidekicks by Dan Santat

I Survived… (series) by Lauren Tarshis

Maximum Ride: The Manga (series) by James Patterson

Any nonfiction book by Seymour Simon

Dork Diaries (series) by Rachel Renee Russell

Smile and Drama by Raina Telgemeier

Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

Dear Dumb Diary (series) by Jim Benton

Love that Dog & Hate that Cat by Sharon Creech

Bluford (series) by various

Surviving Southside (series) by various

Popularity Papers (series) by Amy Ignatow

Any novel in verse, specifically Lisa Schroeder and Sonya Sones

After looking at my students’ checkouts for the year, I would definitely also add these to the list:

Bird and Squirrel On the Run and Gabby and Gator by James Burks

Teen Boat by John Green

Liam O’Donnell’s Graphic Guide Adventures

The 9/11 Report by Sid Jacobson

Olympians graphic novels by George O’Connor

Mal and Chad (series) by Stephen McCranie

Discovery Channel’s Top 10 Deadliest Sharks and Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Predators

The Elsewhere Chronicles (series) by Nykko

Ghetto Cowboy and Yummy by G. Neri

Adventures of Captain Underpants (series) by Dav Pilkey

Charlie Joe Jackson (series) by Tommy Greenwald

Cow Boy by Nate Cosby

Vladimir Tod (series) by Zac Brewer

The Lightning Thief (series) by Rick Riordan

These books listed may not all be relevant now. Each year, I will share my students’ favorites to keep you all updated:

An updated post about the books that were checked out most frequently from my classroom library in 2014-2015

Post about the most checked out graphic novels and novels in the 2015-2016 school year

Top Checked Out Books by Kellee’s Middle School Readers 2016-2017

Kellee’s End of Year Student Survey Results, Students’ Favorite Books, and Top Checked Out Books 2017-18

Kellee’s End of Year Student Survey Results, Students’ Favorite Books, and Top Checked Out Books 2018-19

2023 Note: These posts end in 2019 because I moved to the library starting int he 2019-2020 school year. Reflecting now, I should start pulling statistics from my whole library to share–I’ll do that from now on!

Reflection Note (2018): This post was originally written years ago, and I now struggle with the terms struggling and reluctant readers. The connotation behind these terms is so negative when really these students need all positivity in their lives. There are other options I’ve heard over the year like striving, undiscovered, or developing; however, I think in general we need to just remember that all readers are individuals, and we need to get to know each kid to see exactly what they need. I explain more in my You Tube Literacy Teachers Vlog interview: https://youtu.be/dxaa8966c0k.

What books/series do you find to be most popular with your middle school readers? Have you found success with the books I listed above? Have you/your students read any of the books I’ve listed? Did you/your students enjoy them?

Building Our House by Jonathan Bean

October 13, 2013July 27, 2013 by Kellee

Building Our House
Author and Illustrator: Jonathan Bean
Published January 8th, 2013 by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

Summary: Based on Jonathan Bean’s childhood experience, Building Our House follows a family who moves to a piece of land and builds their own home over the course of many years.

My Review: What an amazing story! It is even more amazing because it is based off of the author’s true childhood events. In the book, we follow the family from living in a trailer surrounded by bare land to living in their dream home. Though the summary seems so simple, it is much more than just watching a family build a home. It is about being determined, resilient, hardworking, a strong family, and patient. I also see it drawing in readers who are curious by building and tools. Finally, to make this story even better, the illustrations are so intricate and colorful which will also draw in readers (and has gotten it on Mock Caldecott lists).

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: The story is told in a very sequential way and would be a great introduction or resource for teaching sequence. Then, I noticed as reading, that often there is more going on in the illustrations then is stated in the words. It would be a great activity to reinforce sequence to tell the other story to the story- the story told in the illustrations.

Discussion Questions: What character traits must the Mom and Dad have to work this long/hard on their dream home?; Put the main events in sequential order.; When was a time that your family came together to do something?

We Flagged: “Our crew works until the sun sets and the frame stands strong in the middle of the field. Mom makes places for everyone to sit around a fire. We eat and talk and play until the stars shine and the owls call.” (p. 24)

Read This If You Loved: Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker, The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton, Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton, Mitchell Goes Bowling by Hallie Durand

Recommended For:

The building of his childhood home is a memory that has lasted for Jonathan Bean. If you were going to write a book about a moment or memory from your childhood, what would it be?

Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award

June 17, 2019July 26, 2013 by Kellee

Last week, we were thrilled to announce the finalists for the 2013 Walden Award, and today, we wanted to share more about the award and the committee.

Background of the Award

The Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award was established in 2008 and is presented by ALAN (The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of NCTE) yearly. The award honors Amelia Elizabeth Walden, a pioneer in the field of young adult literature. The criteria for the award is that the honored titles must: possess a positive approach to life, widespread teen appeal, and strong literary merit. What makes the award different from ALA’s Printz, for example, is that although literary merit is important, the book needs to meet the other two criteria as well.

The Committee

Ricki’s Experiences

When I first heard about the committee at the ALAN Workshop, I knew I wanted to apply. I thought it was a long-shot, but I submitted my application and was thrilled to be accepted. I knew some of the other members on the committee, and I was so excited to work with such important, knowledgeable individuals.

Opening up the first box of books was very exciting. I could wait to review and discuss them. I’ll admit—it was hard work. In the beginning, I had to schedule reading time (something I’d never done before because I was always a voracious reader), and that first year, I think I drove my husband nuts. While I felt my stacks of books were very organized, he didn’t enjoy that he had to walk through a maze of books to get from our bedroom to the bathroom. I should also add that he didn’t enjoy that I was up until three in the morning most nights, waking him up as I sobbed or laughed at a scene from a book. I have always read an excessive number of books, but these past few years, I have truly learned the meaning of the phrase: There is ALWAYS time to read.

Being on the committee has been like a second job for me, but it is equally as rewarding as teaching. I have read more than I ever thought I could read. We discussed, discussed, and discussed each of the books. I reread books until I began to know their lines by heart. The books became a part of me, as I had spent hours looking at every aspect of them as we exchanged conversations about each of them. I have always been willing to give any book of any genre a try, but now, I find myself eagerly looking for more variety in my reading. I love to find books in new topics or subgenres because I have learned so much from the books I’ve read on the committee. This year is my fifth (and last) year on the committee, where I served as the past chair. I am sad to part ways, as the committee has become a major part of my life. I’ve formed so many close bonds with wonderful individuals (after all—were it not for this committee, I wouldn’t have found Kellee!), and I have truly loved the hundreds upon hundreds of conversations I have had with my colleagues about the incredible books that were submitted.

Kellee’s Experiences

I first heard about the Walden award at my first ALAN workshop where I was lucky enough to see Kristin Cashore receive the award for Fire. I was currently in love with The Monstrumologist series, so I knew that the award was something I needed to keep my eye on. Then in 2011, I saw a call for applications tweet come from Teri Lesesne to become part of the award committee, and I immediately went to ALAN’s website to learn more. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I, a normal teacher from Florida, could become part of this amazing procedure. I could be part of reviewing books and choosing which book deserves that coveted award sticker. So, I applied, and voila! I got to be part of this amazing committee.

Like Ricki, receiving the books was such a treat! Though, I surprised myself, because I actually ended up being more excited about the process than the actual quantities of books. I got caught up in the reading and recording and discussing. Though sometimes it is a lot of work, it is so worth it! And yes, it includes lots and lots of reading, but it is so, so, so worth it. Being at the ALAN workshop last year to meet authors who were honored partially because of being—AMAZING!

Being on the committee has changed my life. It has helped me become a larger part of ALAN, it has helped me meet more authors, and, probably most importantly, it has helped me connect with colleagues (and friends!!! *cough* Ricki) that I will have as part of my life forever.

Award Recipients

2009

Winner

Honors

2010

Winner

0-545-05474-5 6457229 3238153 6400654

Honors

2011

0-545-15133-3

Winner

0-439-83706-5 7661718 6763730 6621146

Honors

2012

8928054

Winner

7824322 9266762 9917938 8423931

Honors

2013

12000020 13069935 13591678 11870085

Finalists (Winner to be Announced Shortly)

Committee Members

Past and Current Chairs

Wendy Glenn (2009), Daria Plumb (2010), Teri Lesesne (2011), Ricki Ginsberg (2012), Lois Buckman (2013)

Past and Current Committee Members

Carolyn Angus, Mary Arnold, Jonatha Basye, cj Bott, Jean Boreen, Jennifer Buehler, Paul Hankins, Jeff Harr, Jeff Kaplan, Bonnie Kunzel, Mark Letcher, Suzanne Metcalfe, Kellee Moye, Mindi Rench, Lois Stover, Diane Tuccillo, Barbara Ward, Jennifer Walsh

Apply to Be on the Committee

The committee is made up of three teachers, three librarians, three university professors, and one chair. The committee is looking to fill three vacancies (a teacher, a librarian, and a university professor). Currently (and annually), ALAN calls for applications for new committee members and information can be found on their website: http://www.alan-ya.org/. The deadline for applications is September 15, 2013.

We hope we have helped you understand the joy of being part of this amazing committee. We wouldn’t trade our experiences for the world.

and

Stardines Swim High Across the Sky and Other Poems by Jack Prelutsky

October 13, 2013July 24, 2013 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday is hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and was started to help promote the reading of nonfiction texts. Most Wednesdays, we will be participating and will review a nonfiction text (though it may not always be a picture book). Be sure to visit Kid Lit Frenzy and see what other nonfiction books are shared this week!

Stardines Swim High Across the Sky and Other Poems
Author: Jack Prelutsky
Illustrator: Carin Berger
Published February 26th, 2013 by Greenwillow Books

Summary: Jack Prelutsky combines inanimate objects with animals to give us a new collection of fun poetry that is accompanied by Carin Berger’s amazing fine artwork.

My Review: I love the concept behind this book. It is set up like an informational nonfiction book with each poem being presented like a specimen. Carin Berger’s artwork is full of found objects that were photographed to add to the nonfiction feeling of each poem. And, of course, Prelutsky adds a sense of humor to each poem as that is what he does.

The creatures that Prelutsky came up with are so clever – SOBCATS who are sad cats, JOLLYFISH who are happy jellyfish, TATTLESNAKE are snakes that won’t stop tattling, and GLOOSE are a bird that keep sticking to everything. And these are just four examples of sixteen in the book.

I cannot review this book without talking about the artwork. I originally chose this book because I saw it on a Mock Caldecott list and I can definitely see why. Carin Berger illustrates this novel with beautiful pieces of artwork. As stated on the copyright page: “The miniature dioramas in this book are assemblages created using a combination of cut paper, found ephemera, vintage engravings (which were scanned, manipulated in Photoshop, and then printed out), beeswax, wire, thread, and wood. Once each piece was made, it was then photographed digitally to prepare the full-color art.” What a fantastic process to discuss with students and it definitely added an essential aspect to the book.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: Each poem is its own discussion starter. First, to separate the title creatures into the two words that were combined and looking at what the animals is and what the word is that it was combined with. For example: “Chormorants” is a combination of CORMORANT and CHORES. Then I’d look through the poem and find where the animal is represented and where the combined word plays a role. And on top of that, each poem can be looked at as a poem and look for poetic elements within it. Each poem is a stand-alone, well done poem that is sure to start a conversation.

Discussion Questions: Which poem is your favorite? Why?; Combine an animal with a word and write a poem about this new creature.; How do you think Berger’s artwork added to the book? How would cartoon illustrations have made the book different?

We Flagged: Every poem is a gem, but this is my favorite-

“PLANDAS sit around all day,
Planning what to do.
Their plans amount to nothing,
For they never see them through.
They plan to run a marathon
Or take a railroad trip.
They plan to cross the ocean
On a wooden sailing ship.
***
They plan to learn to roller-skate,
To juggle, and to fence.
They plan to go to clown school
And cavort in circus tents.
They plan to play the saxophone
And form their own brass bands. . . .
But PLANDAS never do these things –
They just keep making plans.” (p. 21)

Read This If You Loved: Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant by Jack Prelutsky, My Teacher Likes to Say by Denise Brennan-Nelson, Lemonade by Bob Raczka

Recommended For:

Top Ten Tuesday: Words/Topics That Deter Us

September 5, 2014July 23, 2013 by Kellee

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. The feature was created because The Broke and Bookish are particularly fond of lists (as are we!). Each week a new Top Ten list topic is given and bloggers can participate.

Today’s Topic: Top Ten Words/Topics That Will Make You NOT Pick A Book

We changed this a bit. We both will read just about anything, so we’re using topics or words that will deter us from picking up a book or trends that we are just tired of reading about.

Kellee

1. Just Like Twilight: Or “Just Like” any popular at that moment book. “The New Hunger Games!” Ugh! I know they are trying to sell books, but can you describe your book in a way that doesn’t make it seem like a sell-out automatically?!?!

2. Dragons: I know this is very broad and I have liked some “dragon” books, but as soon as I see a dragon on the cover or someone says it is about a dragon, I automatically think I will not like it.

3. Paranormal Romances: This is one of the trends I am just done with. They have to be really, really good and recommended to me by a very reliable person for me to pick them up.

4. Magical Realism: Magical realism is when there is magic/fantasy in a normal world. I often have major trouble with these books. For example, in Billy Creekmore the story is such a great historical fiction and had a bit of a ghost story in it, but then suddenly there is actually a ghost?! Why?!

5. Adult Authors Writing YA/MG/Juv Fic: I think so many adult authors are making the switch over to write young adult, middle grade, or children’s lit just to make money. Now, that isn’t to say that some of them aren’t good. I know my students love James Patterson’s Middle School series and I have friends who liked Theodore Boone by John Grisham, so I may be wrong in this; however, it is something that makes me hesitate before reading/picking up a book.

Ricki

1. Vampires: I have read dozens and dozens of vampire books. At this point in my life, I will probably opt for a different book, given the choice. My students are tired of them, so I am tired of them. If there is a new twist, I am always willing to give it a try.

2. Fairies, Faeries, Pherries (Okay, kidding on the last one): The pixie dust just doesn’t do it for me. Also, book-talking a novel about fairies makes me feel silly. If you have any suggestions of fairy books, I am always willing to give it a whirl, but so far, I haven’t been impressed.

3. Amnesia: For me, this feels like the oldest plot trick in the book. For some reason, these books continue to be pervasive. I like the mysterious aspect of finding out who the character is, but that is about it. It feels formulaic to me–especially with the blinding flashbacks that are sure to show up.

4. Talking Machines: Some things shouldn’t talk, especially inanimate objects like machines or chairs. This is the only one on the list that is pretty much a deal-breaker for me. Unless the character has a mental illness, if the couch starts talking, I am done.

5. Religion: I love reading and learning about different religions, but the second it gets preachy, I am done. I don’t want to convert to the author’s religion, and I know the second I mention religion in my classroom, I’ve lost the majority of the class. If the book is informative or cultural, then it is great by me, but if it starts a-preaching, I will be a-reaching for a different book.

What words deter you from picking up a book?

and

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 7/22/13

July 27, 2015July 22, 2013 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Last Week’s Posts

top ten tuesday

We have GIVEAWAYS for the Junket is Nice and Sidekicked pages that are still live. You can enter every day and get 1 free entry daily!!!

**Click on any picture above to view the post**

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: This week I had a pretty good reading week. First, I finished my rereadings of the Walden finalists- they are all so great!!! I may even go back and reread some of them again just to get a final feeling for them. I also reread Stardines and Building Our House in preparation for this week’s reviews. I also read Junket is Nice in preparation for the review this week. Finally, I read Liz Kessler’s newest novel, North of Nowhere. It was filled with mystery and students will be guessing throughout the novel. I will be reviewing for you all in a couple of weeks. Overall, a pretty successful week!

Ricki: Like Kellee, I reread all of the Walden Award finalists this week. I am excited to post more about them this Friday. Kellee and I are joining forces for a blog post about our experiences on the book award committee, so check back if you are interested. We will give more information about applying to the committee at that time. This week, I also read Junket is Nice by Dorothy Kunhardt and More Than This by Patrick Ness (both of which I blogged about–click the pictures above if you missed them). Lastly, I finished When Kids Can’t Read by Kylene Beers. Check back on Thursday for my review. I know it is taught in many reading and methods courses, but if you haven’t read it yet, it is absolutely fantastic.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: This week I am driving all week, so I hope to finally finish the David Sedaris audiobook that I’ve been listening to all month. It is hilarious and I want to finish cherishing it. I’ve also started Wonder Light by R.R. Russell, also for review, and enjoying it so far. It’s protagonist is a “troubled” girl who is sent to a pony ranch to “find herself.” After Wonder Light, I’m not sure what I’ll read next. I know I want to read Doll Bones for the #virtualbookclub on August 5th and I have some library books on their way—we’ll see what I end up reading.

Ricki: Last night, I started The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. This year, my students were really obsessed with mental illness and depression. I bought the book in a used bookstore and gave it to a few of my seniors and they loved it. I’ve always been afraid to read it because I worry it will sink me into a sorrow pit. So far, I really enjoy it, but I probably shouldn’t be reading it while pregnant—too emotional. I don’t plan to post a review because many of you have probably already read it. After that, I think I will move onto The Infects or The One and Only Ivan. I missed that one and everyone seems to adore it. Blogging is new to me, and to be honest, I find it difficult to predict what I will read because my mood fluctuates. I don’t like reading to feel like an assignment, so you may be hearing about an entirely different book next week. Send suggestions my way, as I seem to own half of the bookstore (and particularly the high school books), and I am feeling indecisive today!

Upcoming Week’s Posts

So, what are you reading?

and

Click "Add your link" to link up:

1.	Kristin @ Children's Lit Crossroads	16.	Jen @ The Uninterrupted Reader	31.	MsOReadsBooks
2.	Renee @ Thoughtful Corners	17.	Maria Selke @Mselke01	32.	Debra Rosenquist A Mostly Rosy Outlook
3.	Holly @Reading, Teaching, Learning	18.	Michele @ Coffee Cups and Lesson Plans	33.	Adrienne Gear
4.	Myra @ GatheringBooks	19.	Jennifer @ Fountain Reflections	34.	The Book Monsters
5.	Debbie - Styling Librarian	20.	Natalee @ Ars Longa Vita Brevis	35.	Megan
6.	Linda Baie	21.	Andrea @ Mrs Payan Reads	36.	Stephanie
7.	Earl/The Chronicles Of A Children's Book Writer	22.	Lisa @ Creative in Middle School	37.	Jeanne
8.	Julee Murphy @ Book Egg	23.	Elizabeth @ Children's Book Bin	38.	Stacey H @ Library Gals
9.	Carrie Gelson @There's a Book for That	24.	Great Books for Kids and Teens	39.	Lisa @ I'll Tumble For YA
10.	Natalie Dias Lorenzi	25.	Elisabeth @ The Dirigible Plum	40.	Erika @ Ms Victor Reads
11.	Nicole Marquis @ Bluestocking Thinking	26.	Hannahlily @ My 100 Adventures	41.	Max @ Teaching from Behind
12.	Mindi Rench	27.	Sarah @ Page Appropriate	42.	Jennifer Kelley Reed
13.	Gigi McAllister @ The Late Bloomer's Book Blog	28.	Catherine @ Reading to the Core	43.	Page (One Book At A Time)
14.	Beth Shaum	29.	Ryan Hanna @rantryan	44.	Justin
15.	Leonardo's Bookshelf	30.	Kate @ Reading Past Bedtime

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