#MustReadIn2019

           Thanks to Carrie Gelson of There's A Book for That for hosting a #MustRead group at the beginning of the year for those who continue to create a list of lonely books on shelves or lists that we are excited about when bought or listed, then ignore, or find others that call more loudly.  See the above link to Carrie's blog to find out more!

I didn't do very well last year, so am shortening the list, hoping to read ALL of these. My list is posted above on the blog.

Books read will be in blue as the year progresses.

Mary's Monster - Lita Judge

The Poet X  - Elizabeth Acevedo

Illegal - Eoin Colfer & Andrew Donkin

Blood Water Paint - Joy McCullough

I Am Still Alive - Kate Alice Marshall

Front Desk - Kelly Yang

Children of Blood and Bone - Toni Adeyemi

Dry - Neal Shusterman

Me And Marvin Gardens - A.S. King

Solo & Swing - Kwame Alexander

Educated: A Memoir - Tara Westover

Becoming - Michelle Obama

Happy New Year to everyone, and HAPPY READING!

#MustReadIn2018

MUSTREADMUSTREADMUSTREADMUSTREADMUST

READMUSTREADMUSTREADMUSTREAD

2018

Thanks to Carrie Gelson of There's A Book for That for hosting a #MustRead group at the beginning of the year for those who continue to create a list of lonely books on shelves or lists that we are excited about when bought or listed, then ignore, or find others that call more loudly.  See the above link to Carrie's blog to find out more!
 
Here are my plans for #MustReadIn2018. I'll post the list above with others in recent years!

        I’m keeping some books from last year, but in a separate list, hoping I will find time to read those I still don't want to miss! It’s hard to delete books, but they will stay on my shelves, waiting! This time I've noticed that many of the books are YA. Somehow I've slipped away from them and focused on those for younger kids. I want to read these YA that were so well reviewed last year, giving new looks at teen experiences.

Thirty-Four Books -  

Books read will be changed to blue as we move through the year!

Middle-YA

Me And Marvin Gardens - Amy Sarig King

Greetings from Witness Protection - Jake Burt

Posted - John Anderson

Tumble & Blue - Cassie Beasley 

Beyond The Bright Sea - Lauren Wolk

See You In The Cosmos - Jack Cheng

Amina’s Voice - Hena Khan

Hello Universe - Erin Kelly, Isabel Roxas

Flying Lessons & Other Stories - Ellen Oh

American Street - Ibi Zoboi

Scythe - Neal Shusterman

The Smell of Other People’s Houses - Bonnie Sue Hitchcock

Long Way Down - Jason Reynolds 10

Patina

The Hate U Give -  Angie Thomas

Turtles All The Way Down - John Green

All The Crooked Saints - Maggie Stiefvater

Scar Island - Dan Gemeinhart

Playing By Heart - Carmela A. Martino

Solo - Kwame Alexander

The Playbook

Lucky Broken Girl - Ruth Behar

Titanic, Voices from the Disaster - Deborah Hopkinson 20

The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage - Philip Pullman

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter - Erika L. Sanchez

Dear Martin - Nick Stone

non-fiction

Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and The Carlisle Indian School Football Team - Steve Sheinkin

 adult 

Bright Dead Things - poetry - Ada Limon

H Is for Hawk - Helen Macdonald

from past lists:

Countdown - Deborah Wiles

The Birchbark House - Louise Erdrich

I’ll Give You The Sun - Jandy Nelson

90 Miles to Havana - Enrique Flores-Galbis
Dash - Kirby Larson

Checking In-#MustReadIn2016

          it's time to share an update from our #MustReadIn2016 goals. Link up with Carrie Gelson at There's A Book for That!  Thanks for hosting us, Carrie!

        I put 23 books on my list this year, and have read 10 of them. I do have some of those unread on my shelves; others I don't. There are many books I want to read, and still want to read some of these, too. If there's a neglected book you think I should not miss, please let me know! I've linked each book read with my Goodreads review. I enjoyed each book thoroughly, and imagine I would enjoy the ones missed, too. Time seems to be the enemy, right? 
        I look forward to seeing other posts, to see what books I should add, oh my! 

from my 2015 list that crossed over

Middle-YA

Navigating Early - Claire Vanderpool

        not read

Seraphina - Rachel Hartman

Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets - Evan Roskos

March - Lewis, Aydin, Powell

All The Answers - Kate Messner

for adults

Quiet - Susan Cain

The Must Reads - Checking In

          This is a quick post to share with those taking the #MustReadIn2014 challenge hosted by Carrie Gelson at There's A Book For That, and at Gathering Books: Check Off Your Reading Challenge.

            I have 26 books on the list (see the page above), have completed eleven of those, and am ready to start Every Day After by Laura Golden. Too many new (and good) books take the time away from these past books (also good), so we decided we needed to challenge ourselves to catch up as much as possible. Thanks to Carrie and Maria Selke (Maria's Melange) for the idea.

    Happy Summer Reading:

Let books be your dining table,

And you shall be full of delights

Let them be your mattress

And you shall sleep restful nights.

~Author Unknown

Reading Conference - Rewards Plentiful

               Thanks to those writers at Two Writing Teachers for hosting those of us who are slicing about their lives!  And thanks to Betsy for this beautiful new graphic.  It seems like it'll be a boost for fresh looks at our lives.

                I just returned from our state reading conference, CCIRA, and what an immersion in all things focusing on students and teachers, teaching and literacy!  I experienced both kinds of exercise from Thursday on, walking for my body while listening, talking and reading for my brain!  I had the pleasure of seeing authors and talking with different exhibitors about books and about reading ideas they promoted through their materials.  This time, I want to focus on a couple of emotional highs that connected to the blogging community too, because I believe after reading your words for many months that you are these kinds of teachers I write about below. 

               Patricia Polacco spoke about life journeys, particularly her journey. 

I'm Speaking Up Like Someone Told Me

             Visit the Tuesday Slice of Life at Two Writing Teachers.  Tweet at SLICE2013! 

Carrie Gelson, one of my favorite ‘go to’ people for book ideas on her blog There’s A Book for That just wrote a post celebrating 20 years of teaching by sharing 20 things she’s learned throughout those years.  I loved reading each one, and two would be placed at the top of my list, but this one, number 19, connected to my whole being: Be a storyteller. Our classrooms are a window into how we as a society look after our children. Speak up. 

            When I read Carrie’s words, I knew what I would write today.  I’ve thought about this all day, and wonder if it’s a way to bring educators together in a common goal of kindness, and of course we must include the children.  Part of the definition of society in the online Merriam-Webster dictionary is an organized group working together or periodically meeting because of common interests, beliefs, or profession or an enduring and cooperating social group whose members have developed organized patterns of relationships through interaction with one another.  Above all we must have a common belief to be kind to one another.  I am speaking up!