A Little of My Summer Reading...

Every summer I look forward to catching up on children's books. There are so many great young adult books out there, and the summer break gives me a chance to read A LOT. Below are reviews of several of the books I read this summer.

Many of them you will be able to find in our classroom library. Some may be in our school library. One way or the other, I'll find a way to get these books in your hands. Enjoy reading the recommendations!

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key

This story is told from Joey's perspective, an upper elementary kid with severe ADHD. SEVERE ADHD. I've never read a book like this - a book that so clearly gives you a perspective of what it's like to have ADHD. Actually, I saw myself in some of the people in Joey's life - people who didn't "get" Joey. A big theme that was brought out to me was how we view other people, how we accept other people. After reading this book, I feel like I have much greater grace and understanding for others.

Joey comes from a very real family - a family with its own troubles. Joey is sent to an alternative school after a series of "accidents" he is involved in. Most of the accidents occur because of his impulsive behavior, and it's so interesting to see how people around him react.

There is so much humor in the story. Several times while I was reading I laughed out loud and several times I dropped my jaw in disbelief. You really have to read it to believe it. It's won several awards, and its sequel has too - Joe Pigza Loses Control. I recommend reading Swallowed the Key first, it will give you the background knowledge to understand the second book.

The Lightning Thief

Krae read this book while he was in my class, and I always thought it had an intriguing premise. Percy (the main character) finds out he is son of Poseidon and that the Greek gods are alive and well on Mount Olympus (which happens to be found at the very top of the Empire State Building). Zeus' master lightning bolt has been stolen, and the gods are blaming Percy. Percy is sent on a quest (as all heroes are) to retrieve the lightning bolt from Hades, who Percy believes has stolen it. It's full of adventure and excitement - two elements I know my boy readers love. If you're a fan of the fantasy genre, this book will be right up your alley.

I loved learning about Greek mythology. I've heard several of the stories before, but I found myself going back to the Internet to get background knowledge on the various gods. This book was a lot different from the other books I read this summer, and I really enjoyed it. It was a little on the long side (375 pages), but it was very fast-paced. Due to its length, it might be better suited for some of the more fluent readers in our class.

If you like this book, make sure you check out its sequel, A Sea of Monsters (which I have in our classroom library and is on my "To Read" list).

Mick Harte Was Here

Barbara Park nails what it's like to grieve. I recommend this book to anyone who has ever lost a loved one. Phoebe (age 13) loses her brother Mick (age 12) in a bicycle accident. Phoebe describes the 4-5 days after Mick dies, and while she describes the grief she and her parents are going through, she interweaves stories about Mick. You really get to know Mick. He's a hilarious person, and you come to love him. The more you read, the more you love Mick. You realize what a special person he was.

Even though this book is sad, it has that same voice and humor found in her book Skinnybones, a perennial favorite in our classroom. I don't have a copy of this book yet, but I have a feeling it will show up in our classroom library soon. At 90 pages, it's a short but very powerful read.

Walk Two Moons

One of the best books I've read. Seriously. But here's the thing - I read this book about seven years ago and didn't like it at all. I forced myself through it, and I remember asking myself, "What's the big deal about this book? It's not that great." My only answer is that I just wasn't ready for it. It wasn't a just-right book for me seven years ago. But I'm glad I was ready for it now.

Here's the major problem in the story - Sal's mom has left her and Sal's father. Sharon Creech brilliantly weaves three stories together: 1)Sal and her grandparents are going to Idaho, and Sal hopes to bring her mother back. 2)Sal's good friend Phoebe has family problems. HER mother disappears as well. 3)You get the "back" story - the story of Sal's family before her mother left. By telling and understanding Phoebe's story, Sal begins to understand her own story. The characters are quirky, interesting, and loveable. I was mesmerized by Gram and Grandpa - they are people who live life to the fullest. And there are so many themes woven into the story! I laughed and cried and laughed and cried all throughout the book.

Sharon Creech is also the author of Love That Dog and Heartbeat, two incredible books.

Love, Ruby Lavender

At the end of last school year, Audrey mentioned this book to me. She said it was one of her all-time favorites. I have great faith in Audrey's tastes for books, so I picked this one up at a used book store this summer. It did not disappoint.

Ruby and her grandmother, Ms. Eula, are two peas in a pod. The story starts with the two of them "saving" local chickens at the chicken farm. They live in a small town in Mississippi that is full of quirky and larger-than-life characters. Right at the beginning of the story, Ruby mentions an "accident" that occurred a year ago. As you read the story, you learn more details about the accident and how Ruby was involved. I don't want to give too much away. I love the way the story unfolds, and I really don't want to ruin it for you.

If you liked Buttermilk Hill or Becoming Naomi Leon, you'll probably like this book, too. Deborah Wiles (the author) also wrote a book called Each Little Bird That Sings. It's sitting on my bedside table right now, and I'm really looking forward to reading it. Emmeline read it during the school year, and she highly recommends it.

Poppy

TJ, one of my former students, loved this series. I taught TJ in third grade, but he loved to stop by and visit while he was in 4th and 5th grades. When he would come by my classroom, he loved to tell me about this series. He would relay the stories to me with such excitement - it was evident how much he enjoyed the action, characters, and events of this book.

Poppy (a field mouse) and her family live in the Gray House, but they need to move to the New House because of an expanding family and the need for more room. Mr. Oxcat, the owl, does not allow the mouse family to move (he is the protector of the mice...hmm). Poppy believes that Mr. Oxcat is afraid of something at the New House, and she sets out to figure out this mystery.

I know, I know. What's the big whoop? Trust me. It's fast-paced, exciting, with incredible characters. Although there are many girls who will like it, I think the boys in our class will really connect to it. Look for it in the "L" box!

Wringer

This book came recommended to me from a professional book I read by Franki Sibberson. She's a 4th grade teacher in Ohio, and she uses this book as a read-aloud for her class. I'm a big Jerry Spinelli fan, and I had picked this book up several times before - but the plot had never interested me. Once again, I had to trust the recommendation. Once I got a few pages into the story, I was hooked.

Every year in Palmer's hometown, they have a pigeon shoot (sounds crazy, doesn't it?). Boys who are 10 and older are assigned to be "wringers," having the job of wringing pigeons' necks who are wounded during the shoot. Palmer is terrified of being a wringer. But at the same time, Palmer wants to be part of the gang of boys in his neighborhood, who are fanatical about being wringers. Palmer is pulled in two directions. Should he follow his heart or be part of the group? It's a great book that deals with lots of interesting issues, and you really put yourself in Palmer's shoes when reading the story.

I don't have the book in our classroom library right now, but I plan on ordering it very soon. I have a feeling it might become a class read aloud! Jerry Spinelli has written some of my favorite books: Maniac Magee (might be my all-time favorite), Loser, The Library Card, and Crash.

A Long Way From Chicago

I've avoided this book for several years now. It sat silent in the "L" box in our classroom library, never enticing anyone to read it. For me the title was boring, the cover did not interest me, and the back cover did nothing to stir any interest. But this summer, I read a review that highly recommend this book. I put my hesitations aside and picked it up. I was surprised! It was laugh-out-loud funny!

If you want to know more, click here. You can hear a podcast I created about the book.