Around the Web- Summer Reading Flowchart: What Should You Read On Your Break?

On Facebook I saw someone post this awesome info graphic from teach.com  What do you think?

Follow this link to see the accompanying post!  Summer Reading Flowchart: What Should You Read On Your Break? | Teach.com.

Summer 2012

I have 18 days left with my students which means it’s time to start thinking about summer.  (BTW I’m super jealous of all of you whose summer has already started or begins this week.)  The first few weeks of summer I will be taking a course but I will also be traveling.  Then I have several weeks completely free!  So it’s time for me to create my summer reading list.  I’d like to do a mix of books on my kindle and in paper form.

First and foremost I need to finish Thirteen Reasons Why by Asher and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

1.  Thirteen Reasons Why- Asher
2. The Book Thief– Markus Zusak
3. Peeps- Scott Westerfield (happen to own)
4. The Last Days- Scott Westerfield  (Received for free)

 

Help me fill in the rest of the list… what are my must reads this summer?  Hopefully I’ll get back to a place where I can blog regularly and keep all of you entertained and informed about the latest young adult literature.

It’s Summer Time!

The school I work at just got out a week ago, so now that I’m officially on summer break for the next 5 weeks I need a summer reading plan!

I’m so out of the loop with my reading that I am in dire need of suggestions.  I’m hoping I can finish about 10 books.  So- hit me… what do you suggest?  YA or adult, I’ll take all suggestions.  Also, if you have any kindle books you can lend me I’d be interested in that as well!!

Breaking Dawn- Stephenie Meyer

At last, my review of the 4th and final book in the infamous Twilight saga!

Shop Indie Bookstores

I was SUPER excited to get my hands on this book.  I started reading it on my car ride back from Cheboygan, Michigan over July 4th weekend- but I was using my friends copy.  So, in the airport on my way to Tahoe, I put down twenty three dollars, and bought the hardback copy to take with me.  (In hindsight, this was a poor choice due to the pure weight of this book.)  Each day of my vacation I read just a little more until I finally finished it!

I have to say I was not sure what to expect.  I knew that this book has Edward and Bella becoming more sexually active- and some of my friends felt that the descriptions of their love making was too graphic.  I however disagreed.  I felt that especially since they waited till after Bella was 18, and they were married that it was dealt with quite tastefully.  There is no description of intimate body parts so I feel like most students/teens could handle it.

Sex aside, I’m not 100 percent sure how I feel about this installment of the series.  I felt like it drug on at times and I found myself waiting for the “big event” and when that event came, I was left wanting.  I wish there was more action in this book like there was in Eclipse (the movie for which I have STILL NOT SEEN!).  Overall though I felt this book tied up some loose ends and closed out the saga nicely.

Overall, what did you think of the Twilight saga?  Hmm… maybe I’ll post a poll soon!

Postcards From No Man’s Land- Aidan Chambers

Shop Indie Bookstores

I had started this book in the Spring of 2008 and for some reason I never finished it.  In the hopes of checking off another book on my Printz challenge and because I found a super cheap copy at a dollar store I decided to try again.  I’m glad I did.

Postcards From No Man’s Land weaves together two stories separated by decades.  One story describes the impact of WWII on Holland and its citizens while the other is a modern day story of a teen boy visiting Holland on his own.  In both stories issues of sexuality are discussed, though I was not always sure as to why they were pertinent to the teen boys story.  The book was very descriptive and it definitely held my interest. There are interesting family dynamics explored in the book as well.

This is a book for high school students.  The content and the vocabulary make it appropriate for grades 9-12.  I would consider using in a classroom but would probably send a note home outlining to parents the controversial topics it discusses.  It may be a useful book for history teachers as well.

I was glad to finally read another book with a male protagonist!

Awards:

1999 Carnegie Award

2003 Printz Award

Those of you who have read it, what did you think?