Wednesday, May 20, 2009

The Summer of the Book

Seeing as my plans this summer involve a lot of being lazy, working on the house, being lazy, and traveling here and there, I've decided that I'm going to proclaim this "The Summer of the Book." I have TONS of books on my list of must-reads that I just haven't gotten to and I plan to work on that list this summer while I still have a life. Last summer was HECTIC and I read nothing at all so this summer I plan to take it easy! Here's my list...what would you add? Note: MANY of these came from the Summer Reading List for Houston County...some are books for kiddos!


Ok, you know that I LOVE the Harry Potter series and that I've been working my way back through them. I'm currently on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire which is the fourth book in the series. I've gotten in a rut and haven't had time to read but plan to finish these SOON.

The Uglies series is another series that I've been planning to read. A lot of the books on this list are Young Adult fiction, which is obviously a HUGE part of my job. I've gotten recommendations from teenagers so they might seem a little juvenile...


The Twilight series. I've read the first but want to read through the rest as well.



I have The Last Lecture on my iPod just waiting for me to find time to listen to it. This will be a good one for times I'm in the car or laying by the lake.


The Hobbit is one of those books that I've started and put down a MILLION times. I've never finished ANY of the J.R.R. Tolkien books and I plan to start with this one.

I bought Tears of a Tiger in college when a group of girls in my English Ed program were starting a book club. I don't remember ever meeting with the club and I never read this one. It's been on my shelf un-read for too long.


I got The Tales of Beedle the Bard for Christmas. It's a J.K. Rowling book and is full of "fairy tales" for "young wizards." Ha! It's a LOT different than I expected, but it's VERY short and needs to be read.


I bought Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie after a Young Adult Literature class this year. It's supposed to be a pretty funny tale about a 9th grade boy who finds out his mom is pregnant and is dealing with that while navigating his first year of high school.


As Simple As Snow is another book I heard about at the YA Literature conference.


So is Side Effects...


The Secret Life of Bees is awaiting me on my iPod as well. I'm going to have to start spending more time in the car!


The Pendragon series was recommended to me by a student. She swears it's better than the Harry Potter series.


Peaches was bought at 8th Street last year as an addition to the book room because the author is from Georgia. I love it when I read about where I live.

I have a confession....I've never read the Narnia series. Only the first two...Yikes.


I do believe that My Sister's Keeper is the book they've just turned into a Cameron Diaz movie. And I've never read a Jodi Picoult book either but I hear she's fantastic.


The Midwife's Apprentice is another kiddie book that's a short read and most of my students have read it.


I've been told by the boys at school that my life won't be complete until I've read the Maximum Ride series. I'm willing to work on them because I LOVE James Patterson (does he REALLY write his own books? I think he's had a million!)


Eddie and I started reading The Love Dare way back when we first heard about it. We've never finished it. He doesn't know that it's on his list this summer as well.

The Inkheart series is supposed to be good and was recommended by more students.


I have seen The House of the Scorpion in the hands of more teenagers this year...I think that Twilight is the only book I've seen more of.


Grandmommie loaned me The Glass Castle two years ago and said it was fantastic but that she wanted her book back. I still haven't finished it. Whoops.


Freak the Mighty. Mighty strange name. Another student-recommended book.

Flipped is another book I bought for the so-called book club that never met.

Esperanza Rising is on the iPod.


I'm ashamed to say that I've never read the Eragon series. I know almost everyone is over it, but I've caught on late.


The Egypt Game was another book I spotted while teaching middle school.


The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. I know nothing about it...but we own it!


Coraline was just made into a movie by Tim Burton. It's sure to be weird.


Whatever Happened to Cass McBride is another one I bought after my YA Literature class.
And there you have it...In case you're not counting, that's 63 books. Yikes. I'll let you know as I make my way through them. What are you reading this summer?

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