Top Ten Tuesday

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 Favorites in ____ Genre

Instead of picking one genre, we decided to share our favorites in 5 different genres.

Ricki

Realistic/Contemporary Fiction

I just want to give a shout-out to To Kill a Mockingbird and Endangered. I am not a cheater who posts more than one book cover like Kellee (Love you, Kel.)!

Fantasy

I love, love, love this book (as you might know, if you follow this blog).

Science Fiction

Every time I read this book, I remember how much I absolutely love it.

Historical Fiction

This is my favorite genre, so this was a toughie. This book takes the cake because it taught me a lot about a time and place I thought I knew so much about…and it made me cry.

Nonfiction

I picked Tree Girl because it is such a phenomenal book to teach. My students absolutely love it, and I think it teaches incredible lessons about strength and resilience.

 

Kellee

These are my favorites as of the minute I did this post. Some where very hard to choose, so if you ask me at a different time, I may say something else. However, these are all definitely amazing books.

Realistic/Contemporary Fiction

 

I know I cheated a bit, but I just cannot choose! Hurt Go Happy affected me in a major way, so much so that I share it with as many people as I can, and I may not have loved Endangered with out it; however, I had to choose Endangered because it is just such an important book. (Wait until you read Threatened too!) I also almost chose Walk Two Moons, Shine, something by John Green, or A Long Walk to Water.

Fantasy

I went with The BFG because it was my favorite book when I was younger and I am feeling nostalgic today. I almost chose Harry Potter, Lightning Thief, or Graceling.

Science Fiction

Been my favorite book since 1993. Perfection in my mind. The only title I could have chosen even though I love many other science fiction titles.

Historical Fiction

This book left a huge impact on me when I read it and has been a favorite for years. I almost chose Between Shades of Gray or The Watch That Ends the Night–both also amazing books.

Nonfiction

Smile is just so engaging and I love how much my students love it as well. This genre was tough too! I almost went with An American Plague, Me…Jane, Faithful Elephants, or On a Beam of Light.

What are your favorites? 

 and

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 Favorite Covers

We switched from the assigned topic today. Ricki has wanted to do this topic for a while.

Ricki

A few years ago, my students made me aware of the fact that I enjoy trees on covers. You may notice that trend below.

This is my all-time favorite cover.

I LOVE this one. Did you notice the man under the tree?

This one always draws my students in.

I love her back!

I have a poster of this one on my wall. I love it.

This one always draws my students in.

This photograph is absolutely beautiful.

I haven’t even read this book, but I have always loved the cover.

 

It also helps that this is my favorite book.

And this is another of my favorite YA books. I love everything about this cover.

Kellee

This was harder than I thought. I don’t have a favorite cover, so I just went through all of the books I’ve read and here are ten that I loved.

This cover is not what you think! Loved when I found out what it was.

Creepy!

I just love the trees. It is beautiful.

This cover just captures what the book is about. Perfect.

Such a cool graphic and Cinder is as cool as the graphic.

It is pretty simple, but I love the sentiment of it.

This cover captures the intensity of the story and the strength of Saba.

The title and cover of this book are perfect!

Dan Santat is one of my favorite illustrators and I love this cover!

This cover really shows the imagination and curiosity of Jane.

What are your favorite covers? 

 and

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 Books That Will Make You Swoon

Let’s dish about our literary crushes!

These are some amazing male characters!

Ricki

1. The Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

When I think of a swoon-worthy male character, the first one who comes to mind is Dexter. I could also list several other male characters in Sarah Dessen’s books, but I decided to pick my favorite. This book will make you swoon!

2. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Whether you are Team Jeremiah or Team Conrad, this book is certainly swoon-worthy. I adore these two boys, and my students enjoyed fighting over these boys.

3. Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Willem. He is smart and sexy. And he takes Allyson on the adventure of her life in a new country. We love Willem.

4. Fire by Kristin Cashore

After I read this book, I wanted to name my son Brigan. It was too bad it sounded terrible with my last name (Ginsberg). He is an incredible male character who I admire.

5. In This Moment by Wendy Glenn

I read this book on www.swoonreads.com. Not only will this book make you swoon, but it will make you ponder life. I definitely recommend it.

Kellee

1. Graceling and Fire by Kristin Cashore

Po and Brigan from these novels are probably two of my favorite love interests in any book. They are such amazing men who compliment there extremely strong female protagonists.

2. Divergent series by Veronica Roth

Tobias (Four) from the Divergent series grew on me–I liked him even more in Insurgent (a little less at the beginning of Allegiant) and then so much by the end of Allegiant. He is a good man.

3. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

This one may have made my list because I just read Fangirl, but I loved the boyfriend that Levi was to Cath in Fangirl. Also, I love that he was flawed physically yet exactly what Cath needed.

4. Olivia Twisted by Vivi Barnes

Z is one of those bad boys who you know has a deeper story. Throughout the book you get to know him more and what you learn makes him even badder and even more intriguing.

5. The Fault in our Stars by John Green

What Gus does in this book for Hazel makes him my favorite male character in any book ever.

Which books have made your heart flutter? 

and

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 Books That Will Make You Cry

Get some tissues!

All of these books made us cry, but they are all brilliant and so worth it!

Ricki

1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I imagine this book will appear on most TTT lists. This didn’t just make me cry…it made me ugly cry.

2. Love You Forever by Robert N. Munsch

I read this to my son as my husband rocked him to sleep. I couldn’t read the words I was crying so much. What a beautiful story!

3. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

I taught this book for two years, and I cried every time I read it…and every time I read it aloud in class.

4. My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult

I found this story to be incredibly frustrating because I didn’t know how to feel. I could understand every character’s position, even when they disagreed with each other. It is a tearjerker.

5. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

I read this book in third or fourth grade, and all I remember is the ending and how much I cried (and I was so young!). Oof. This was a difficult one.

Kellee

1. Wonder by RJ Palacio

This book is so touching and although there is a scene that definitely makes me cry because of sadness, most of my tears were happy tears.

2. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Pg. 263. I will never forget that page. Made me bawl!

3. See You At Harry’s by Jo Knowles

And what makes you cry just comes out of nowhere! I lent this book to a friend, with no warning, and I promise that this lead to angry texts when she got about 25% of the way through.

4. Endangered by Eliot Schrefer (and Threatened by Eliot Schrefer)

When I read this book aloud to my class last year, it took me about an hour to read the last 15 pages. Imagine me, sitting in front of 22 eighth graders as I try to read through my sniffles, breath-catches, and massive tears to share the amazing conclusion with my students. (Just read Threatened as well and it, too, will lead to some tears!)

5. Hurt Go Happy  by Ginny Rorby

There is a scene in this book that I cannot make eye contact with students as it happens because I know that we would all start crying. Such a tough scene!

Which books have made you tear up? 

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