What I'm Reading (2011-2012)

To say that I have been inspired by Donalynn Miller's Book Whisperer would be an extreme understatement.  This year, one of my goals is to give students time in class to read every day and to arm them with interesting books.  I've only been doing this for a week now, but I'm amazed at how few students are off-task during reading time.  I'm learning quickly that if you give students really great books to read and time to read them, they will read.

I've also been inspired to post pictures of the books that I am reading on a cabinet in my classroom, and I'll be doing the same here in my quiet little corner of the web.

UPDATE: I'm no longer posting pics of the books that I'm reading on my classroom cabinet because I have created a giant decoupage ode to Edgar Allan Poe on my cabinet instead.  Don't worry--I'm still promoting literature, just in a different way.  Meanwhile, the more books I read, the more I find myself discussing books with and making recommendations to my students.

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Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone
by J.K. Rowling

The book that kicked off my reading-for-fun-frenzy!

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Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

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Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets
by J.K. Rowling

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Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

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Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire
by J.K. Rowling

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Speak
by Laurie Halse Anderson

I read Speak every year--actually, four times a year if you count each section of English I that I teach--and every year I love it.  It continues to be a favorite among reluctant readers.  Even my seniors remember it fondly when they see my Speak lesson plans on the board for other class periods.  The subject matter is definitely "dark stuff," but the sarcasm is so spot-on that I always find myself chuckling as I read.  If you've never read it before... well, you just need to.

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The Time Machine 
by H.G. Wells

After reading The Time Machine over the summer, I decided to assign it to my freshman honors class.  At first, they found the language challenging--which is exactly what I wanted--but most of the students seemed to enjoy the story line.   It was also a great springboard into literary criticism, particularly topics of clashing class systems and social degeneration.  

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The House on Mango Street 
by Sandra Cisneros

My students weren't all ecstatic about the genre; rather than a typical book, it's a collection of related vignettes.  I like it because it's great for inspiring student writing, and you can teach as many or as few as you want, depending on the amount of time that you have available.  Plus, I'm a huge fan of poetry and poetic verse, so reading this book feeds my addiction to all things descriptive.

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The Lesser Blessed 
by Richard Van Camp

I bought this book with the hopes of using it in literature circles with a group of senior English students.  Unfortunately--and I hate to sound like prude, but I'm probably about to--the pervasive sexual content distracted me from the overall deeper message (multiculturalism, identity formation, sense of belonging, etc.).  The story isn't without heart.  It's just a little too risque for classroom material.  

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Coriolanus 
by William Shakespeare

I'm admittedly a Shakespeare nerd through-and-through, so when I saw that Coriolanus was about to be made into a movie, I knew that I had to hurry up and read the play first. It was a lot simpler than many of Shakespeare's plays that I have read.  It's a very intriguing story of war and allegiance.  Sort of Shakespeare's version of the action flick?  Anyway, it's not as psychological or romantic or suspenseful as others, but it's definitely worth a quick read.

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The Sandman: Vol 1 (Preludes & Nocturnes) by Neil Gaiman

My first ever comic book!  It took me a while to get used to the pacing, the style, the story line, etc. etc., but once I did, it was worth it!  The story is very suspenseful and filled with literary allusions (to mythology, classical literature, other comics).  It's a very rich visual experience, and unlike any novel I have ever read.  A great place to start for reader unfamiliar with graphic novels.

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The Sandman: Vol 2 (The Doll's House)
by Neil Gaiman

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Mrs. Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children    by Ransom Riggs

As a highly visual person in general, I loved the way that the photographs worked with the text.  Of course, one of my first thoughts was "I want my kids to do this!"  I loved the overall tone of the story, very eerie and suspenseful.  It's hard to describe the story and do it justice, because I inevitably find myself comparing it something else.  :It's sorta like Harry Potter, but really different" or "It's like a group of young X-men, except it's not."  You really have to read it for yourself to get the picture, but it's definitely worth the time.

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If I Stay 
by Gayle Forman

Great book!  And the extra-exciting part was that I discovered my sister had also read this book (I faintly remembered someone recommending this book to me, but I couldn't recall who it was) so we were able to talk about the book and share our reading experiences.  Now, I'm planning on borrowing the sequel from my sister.  I think that my female students will particularly enjoy reading this; in fact, a few students commented that it was a good book when they saw me reading it.

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The Color Purple 
by Alice Walker

I'm glad I read it, but it just wasn't for me.  I read it as a member of one of my student literature circle groups--the students insisted I add this book to my offerings, after all, so I felt almost a civic duty to read along.  But it was hard to read (for me and students, due to the dialect) and, to me, very depressing.  I completely understand its worthiness among the modern American canon, but it's just not my cup of tea.  Also, due to sexual content, parents might not like their little kiddos reading this; keep it on the high shelf for older students.

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What Happened to Cass McBride
by Gail Giles

I devoured this book over two days, only putting it down the first evening because it began reading it later in the evening.  I absolutely loved reading Shattering Glass, so I was very excited about reading this novel by the same author.  Obviously, I was not disappointed.  It was a thrilling, suspenseful read, and I really liked the characters that Giles created.  

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A Tale Dark and Grimm
by Adam Gidwitz

I'm a huge fan of fractured fairy tales, and this is the genre at its best.  I love the way the author explores the darker side of  these tales in a way that is at once grim (pun intended) and humorous. The interrupting narrator is a nice twist.  After reading the first chapter in one of my freshman English classes, this one hasn't spent a spare moment sleeping on the shelf; it's becoming a classroom favorite.

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Looking for Alaska
by John Green

This is a really good book and--considering the subject matter--oddly funny.  Plus, I have had several students approach me who have also read the book, wanting to know where I was at in the book.  I never got tired of Green's candid approach to teen angst, and I loved that, just when I felt myself swept away by the melancholy of it all, I found myself giggling unexpectedly (usually related to the mention of COFFEE TABLE).  An edgy and fun read for older teens and adults.

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Beautiful Creatures
by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

  A nice book, especially for fans of occult romance novels.  What I like about this book is that it's the female with the supernatural powers, and the male protagonist trying to break into her mysterious world.  I've heard that this book will be transformed into a movie in the near future, and I look forward to seeing how they go about decorating Lena's bedroom with her writing, as well as how the flashback scenes are handled.

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The Witches of Eastwick
by John Updike

I ordered this book on Amazon because I remember, as a child, that my mom had read it, and came home complaining about the inconsistencies when she saw the movie in the theater.  As a kid, I remember thinking that the book cover was rather provocative, and I wondered if the story within was likewise scintillating.  I will admit that, every time I return to the book from where I left off, it takes me several pages to sink back into Updike's style of writing.

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The Gates
by John Connolly

Who knew footnotes could be so entertaining?  I absolutely enjoyed every moment of this book.  It was a delightful mix of horror and humor that kept me turning the pages for more.  I would recommend this book to anyone, although the scientific data might be a little too intellectual for some.  It's in the vein of dark fairy tale, which I absolutely love.  If you are a fan of The Book of Lost Things, you will no doubt love this book as well.  I can;t wait to read the follow-up... The Nocturnes.

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Shiver
by Maggie Stiefvater

What makes this book a refreshing twist on the paranormal romance genre is that it features a rather strong and intelligent female character, not some weakling in constant need of rescue.  In fact, it is the male romantic interest who often needs help from his lady love.  

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War Dances
by Sherman Alexie

  

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Crescendo
by Becca Fitzpatrick

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The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins

  

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Neverwhere
by Neil Gaiman

   

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Mockingjay
by Suzanne Collins

  

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Crank
by Ellen Hopkins

I picked this book up because I knew that it attracted lots of readers, even reluctant readers, due to its edginess and subject matter.  This book is really well-written and, although the size of the novel may be intimidating, it moves along rather quickly.  This novel is the somewhat-true story of one teenage girl's downward spiral into the world of crystal meth.  Crank is to books what Thirteen was to movies: a mom's worst nightmare.  It' is a gripping and realistic ride of a good girl turning bad.

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Hush Hush
by Becca Fitzpatrick

Paranormal romance done well.  I picked up this book on the recommendation of one of my students after also reading the first few pages available on Amazon.  The relationship between the protagonist and her hunky angel is very flirtatious without being too much for younger readers; Twilight fans will appreciate this.  It is a typical good-girl-meets-bad-boy-and-falls-in-love type of book, but still enjoyable nonetheless.  Fitzpatrick has a talent for writing teenage female emotions.

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The Graveyard Book
 by Neil Gaiman

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Sandman, Volume 3: Dream Country
by Neil Gaiman

CURRENTLY READING...

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Silence
by Becca Fitzpatrick

  

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Marked (House of Night Series)
by P.C. Cast & Kristen Cast

   

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Catching Fire
by Suzanne Collins

   

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The Fault in Our Stars
by John Green

How can a novel be so heartbreaking and yet so hilarious at the same time?  John Green does it again.  This time, his main character meets the boy of her dreams at a group for teen cancer survivors.   

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The Taking of Room 114
by Mel Glenn

On a quest for more novels written in verse, I found this book on a Scholastic list and decided to give it a try.  

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Glass
by Ellen Hopkins

   

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Burned
by Ellen Hopkins

   

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Tricks
by Ellen Hopkins

   

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City of Bones
by Cassandra Clare

   

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The Forest of Hands and Teeth
by Carrie Ryan

   

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The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga

   

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A Dirty Job
by Christopher Moore

    

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You Suck
by Christopher Moore

   

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