42) The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks – my favorite of his so far
43) Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs – a fun splash through a mermaid’s life on land in a Florida high school. Will she find true love before her 18th birthday?
44) Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz – second in the Blue Bloods series where vampires are fallen angels trying to redeem themselves.
45) City of Glass by Cassandra Clare – a thrilling conclusion the the Mortal Instruments series. I did not see it coming. One of my favorites this month.
46) Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom – inspiring and full of quotes I want to remember
47) See Jane Not Run: Teachers Are Leaders by Gwen S. Simmons and Lynda L. Tamblyn – I think it had good ideas, but it was a little abstract, esp. for summer.
48) Uncommon by Tony Dungy – wise words of wisdom, directed at young men, but can be applied by anyone. Now can I make it required reading for every 8th grader?
49) Say You’re One of Them by Uwem Akpan – A beautifully written account of the horrors of war and poverty in Africa.
50) The Road by Cormac McCarthy – I kept waiting for things to get better–anything at all
51) The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold – beautiful and haunting. I wish I could write like this. Definitely one of my favorites this month.
What are your favorite books you’ve read this month?
May has been a little slower with the end of school, but I read some great books. It’s hard to pick a favorite.
35) H.I.V.E. by Mark Waldren – child genius + villainy leads to action and humor
36) In the Courts of the Sun by Brian D’Amato – a challenging read involving Mayan prophecy and time travel. I liked it until the very end.
37) Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson – a heartbreaking, wrenching look inside the mind of a girl struggling with anorexia and cutting
38) Hugs for Teachers by Martha McKee and Caron Chandler – my husband picked this up for me
39) Unwind by Neal Shusterman – he keeps getting better and better. This dystopia after the Heartland Civil War over right to life will make you think–and be glad your parents put up with you through the teen years.
40) Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok – She frames harsh poverty and a delicate balancing act between two very different worlds with words of beauty and power.
41) Prom Dates from Hell by Mary Clements Moore – sarcastic girl reporter/Nancy Drew wannabe takes on the demonic forces threatening to wipe out the Jocks and Jessicas (her least favorite people) at her high school.
April was a little slower for reading, but here are the ones I finished this month:
28) Shadowland by Neal Shusterman – A CRF that shows the evil that lurks in the heart. A group of “ordinary,” second-best kids let their jealousy take control.
29) Guardians of Ga’Hoole by Kathryn Lasky – A fantasy story of friendship and courage–for those who like talking birds
30) The Beast by Walter Dean Myers – A hard look at what drugs can do. If you can go home again, sometimes the ground shifts beneath your feet.
31) The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks – definitely my favorite this month. What happens if someone is able to track and synthesize all the information about us from surveillance cameras, store cards, computer useage, etc.
32) Tricks by Ellen Hopkins – another favorite. A heartbreaking look the different paths five teens follow to prostitution.
33) Hewitt’s Guide to Slam Poetry and Poetry Slam – a quick read to keep one step ahead of my students as we completed our first poetry slam
34) Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon & Dean Hale, Nathan Hale – my 2nd graphic novel. I like this version of Rapunzel–a braid whipping gal of the Wild West.
What have you read this month?
I’ve shared with some of you that I’ve joined a challenge to read 100 books in 2010. It is a group on Facebook started by a teacher friend of mine. If you are a reader and belong to facebook, it’s not to late to join. I am finding it’s a great way to discover new titles I want to read. Besides, several of my favorite authors are part of the group, and I enjoy seeing what books they are reading–especially when we are reading some of the same titles.
Yesterday in the library, someone asked me how they would know if I met my challenge. I replied that I would list my books each month on this blog. Keep checking in to see how I do. So far, I am right on track. Here’s what I’ve read so far in 2010:
January
1. Panther in the Sky by James Alexander Thom – historical fiction of Tecumseh
2. This Is Just to Say by Joyce Sidman – cool poems
3. Confessions from the Principal’s Chair by Anna Myers – a funny look at bullying
4. Dark Water Rising by Marion Hale – historical fiction of the Galveston flood of 1900
5. A Virtuous Woman by Kaye Gibbons – a beautiful love story that takes me home to NC
6. The Oath by Frank Peretti – suspenseful science fiction, but not the spaceship variety
7. Three Simple Rules by Job – simple yet challenging advice to live by
February
8. Listen! by Stephanie Tolan – story of hope and inspiration
9. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman – quirky ghost story
10. The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde – very British humor by my new favorite author
11. Kingdom Come by Jenkins and LaHaye – a disappointing end to the Left Behind series
12. All the Broken Pieces by Ann E Burg – beautiful poetry to tell the story of a Vietnamese refugee
13. Middle School is Worse than Meatloaf by Jennifer L. Holm – different structure, like a scrapbook
14. Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson – WOW! a powerful story of choices and consequences
15. Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson – story of a slave girl during the American Revolution. I’m looking forward to Forged
March
16. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy – challenging but the language took my breath away
17. Raising Chickens for Dummies by Kimberly Willis and Rob Ludlow – I want chickens!
18. Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby – better than I expected, deals with deafness, abuse, and animal testing
19. Cryptid Hunter by Roland Smith – exciting adventure
20. Night of the Howling Dogs by Graham Salisbury – strong tension set against the backdrop of an earthquake in Hawaii
21. City of Bones and
22. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare – addicting fantasy. I want to get my hands on City of Glass NOW!
23. Tenth Grade Bleeds by Heather Brewer – Vlad’s troubles continue as D’Ablo hunts him down and Vlad wants to eat everyone in sight
24. Ghost of Spirit Bear by Ben Mikealsen – not nearly as good as Touching Spirit Bear
25. Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson – a fun romp through senior year of high school
26. Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz – yet another vampire story
27. Things Are Going to Get Ugly by Hillary Homzie – the ultimate mean girl gets what’s coming to her; definitely lives up to the trailer.