The first few weeks of the new school year have passed and it's always a freeing feeling when things finally fall into a routine.  I'm even able to steal a few minutes to read again, something I haven't been able to do since summer vacation.

Two books I'd like to share are: 

A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

It is WONDERFUL.  Zoe is an 11 year old with a dream of performing classical music on a grand piano, wearing a sparkling gown and diamond tiara. When her dad finally takes her shopping for a piano, he instead ends up buying her an organ. Disappointed, she takes lessons anyway.  Her life is far from perfect as we learn about her issues with friends, her father's disability with anxiety, and her mother's work driven attitude.  Does Zoe's dream ever come true? You'll close this book with a smile and full heart!

   Reading in the Wild by Donalyn Miller

I finished The Book Whisperer in July and immediately ordered Donalyn Miller's new book, Reading in the Wild.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book just as much as I love The Book Whisperer.  This book gives strategies and advice about how to turn kids into wild readers- wild readers who have lifelong reading habits.  

I appreciate how Donalynn uses her personal experiences to demonstrate what lifelong reading habits are.  My favorite take away was the status of the class.  As I implement this into my reading block, I am amazed at the power it brings.  It holds the kids accountable to read, really read, during their independent reading time.  It introduces new books to students who frantically add them to their books to read list.  It gives me a glimpse into what genres are being read and when.  I'm anxious to get their blogs going.  I know they'll have a lot ot say!

Summer Reading- Teacher Style!

The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller:  I don't know how this book escaped me when it first came out?  By far, THE best read of my life.  I've been playing this teacher game for over 20 years and have been on just about every literacy bandwagon my district has implemented.  This book made total sense.  It is jam packed with strategies that make readers, READERS.  Loved the 40 book challenge, the omitted home reading contract, the readers response ideas… actually everything. 

Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess: Dave Burgess inspires you to teach like a pirate, unafraid to try new things- to teach with passion, immersion, rapport, ask and answer, transformation, and enthusiasm.  The second half of his book is loaded with strategies to hook your student- check it out!

The Writing Thief by Ruth Culham:  Need tips for writing craft in writers workshop?  This book is the bomb! It jam packed with all things reading to produce goodwriting, and will leave you wanting to steal writing examples from mentor texts. Loved it!

I love being able to tweet authors questions while reading.  

One of the best online perks EVER!  Follow them at 

@WritingThief 

 @burgessdave  #tlap

@donalynbooks

Summer Reading Round 1

Digital Media Camp is over for the summer and that means time to read, read, read!
PS- I'm posting this from my phone just in case you see any strange auto-corrects.

Here's what I accomplished this week:

My teacher read choice : The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller is by far THE closest book I've read that matches my philosophy about teaching reading.  I'm all charged for a new school year and am ready to take back the aesthetic side of reading in my classroom.   

One for the Murphy's by Linda Mullaly Hunt a global read aloud choice for 2014-15.  I give 5 stars! It's a story about a girl's journey through a year in foster care. I laughed, cheered, and finished the book on my porch swing without any tissues- I should have had tissues.  

Rump by Liesl Shurtliff was also a 5 star read.  This fractured fairy tale is the true story of Rumplestilskin and has us questioning the meaning of our names.  I simply loved this book- it will definitely be a read aloud next school year!

A Tale Grim & Dark by Adam Gidwitz is another fairy tale spin-off of Hansel and Gretel.  I also loved this book.  The narrator speaks to the reader, teasing them to beware of the gore they about to read.  Gidwitz is playful with the gory scenes :-) not sure about this as a read aloud BUT I will definitely be recommending it.

SMILE by Raina Telgemeier

This book made me smile! An awkward 6th grader accidently knocks her front teeth and must learn to survive with a not so perfect smile- not an easy journey for a middle school kiddo.  She learns to listen to inner self and conquers some pretty common middle school issues.  It was a fast read and written in a graphic novel/comic book format.  Another 5 stars from me! 

Here's what I'm hoping to tackle next week:

Stay tuned...