The Best of BTS Reading Lists?

I'm perpetually hungry for something to read. 

Unfortunately, my eyes are always bigger than the amount of time I have to sit down and chew through my 2R list. *Sigh* 

My kids seem to have the same affliction. Ergo, we have a lot of books. (Not complaining.) And, a significant number of the unread titles languishing on my shelves are books from the kids' summer reading lists that I just can't give away until I've read them. 

Does anyone else do that? I can't be the only 

grown-up who enjoys YA and Middle-Grade titles. 

Below, a short and haphazard list of some of what I consider to be the best titles I've seen (and read) on summer Back-to-School reading lists. I would love to hear from you regarding your favorite titles on summer reading lists! (Please share your thoughts on my Facebook page devoted to reading, and dogs, and a sort of eclectic list of other things I love.) 

My Favorite Back to School Reading Titles - Historical Fiction

• Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
• Don't You Know There's a War On? by Avi
• The Boys Who Challenged Hitler (<< my favorite of the 3)

BTS Titles that Make Kids Question Society & Themselves & Stuff

• The Chocolate War
• 13: Thirteen Stories...
• Fast Food Nation (< read: the author's reflection, a decade after publication)

Unconventional BTS Titles With Exceptional Educational Value

These titles are likely to appeal to, and may only be appropriate for, older readers - meaning high school-aged kids. Although I have seen all three of these recommended for 7th graders. Hmm. 

• The Immortal Cells of Henrietta Lacks 
• The Blind Side
• Speak (Not unconventional, just a tad controversial. My advice: get over it.)

Your Brain on Reading 

Fascinating findings - preliminary to be sure, but this article about research from Carnegie-Mellon is very interesting. Happy reading! 

The Force of a Good Cover

Disappointing.

When a great book cover promises much, yet the story delivers so much less than you'd expected. That's what I call deeply disappointing.

Sorry to be such a bummer, but I suggest wasting neither time nor money on Darth Vader and Son and Vader's Little Princess.  While the two tantalizing titles appear darned near perfect for Star Wars fans (of all ages) alas, they - dare I say - disappoint.

They might make good gag gifts in some cases - say, you're wondering token hostess gift to take to the company Christmas party, and your boss happens to love Star Wars.

Otherwise, move on. These aren't the hilarious Star Wars graphic novels you're looking for.

The Phantom Tollbooth: Guest Post from a Third Grader

 A kid named Milo is very bored. He finds a tollbooth in his room and drives through it. In there he finds many new friends, has new adventures, more problems, and more solutions.

The Characters
The main character is Milo. He meets Tock, a watch dog, the Humbug, Rhyme and Reason, the Which, King Azaz, the Mathamagician, the Dodecahedron,* Dr. Dischord, and the Terrible Dynne.

The Setting
The settings are Milo's apartment, Dictionopolis, Digitopolis, the Land of Disillusion, the Island of Conclusions, the Way to Infinity, the Castle in the Air, and the Valley of Sound, which is silent, until Milo sets the sounds free.

The Problem
The problem is Milo is bored. He says, "There's nothing for me to do, nowhere I care to go, and hardly anything worth seeing."

The Solution ... is found inside the Tollbooth. 

* my mom had to look up this word

# #
Thank you to a talented young writer for this guest post.  Like fantasy? Some others I've enjoyed here: http://what2readornot.blogspot.com/2013/04/how-to-banish-reading-doldrums.html

Luck o' the Readers

If everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day, what we need is a patron saint of reading. Then, at least one day a year, everyone would be a reader.

Oh, I can dream, can't I?

Goodreads has some seasonal recommendations to get young readers into the spirit of the holiday - whether you want to impart some actual historical information about St. Patrick or stick to lighter fare.

And - this is especially for homeschoolers, because I just assume all elementary school teachers know about this treasure trove of a site - for anyone with young children, I highly recommend you turn on the printer and visit Enchanted Learning for some free printable books, St. Patrick's Day activity sheets, coloring pages, and read-aloud stories.

Now as you go off to read, be sure you're whistling a happy tune. 

Help for struggling new readers (or over-achievers)

Got kids who need a little help with reading? Try some of the suggestions you'll find at Starfall. The site was launched thanks to a former reluctant reader and so effective it made the education section of Time magazine's current  50 best websites list. Visit the site to find free (yes, free!) fun and games and a good shot at reading improvement. Recommended for K-2nd graders.

Got over-achieving readers? You know - the 4th-grader who can handle any adult title, but maybe not the context? Librarians can be your best source of recommendations. Don't overlook those "older" titles, like The Phantom Toll Booth and Stuart Little. Vocabularies have changed a bit over the past few decades - enough to slow down a young (eager) reader and to teach a few new words along the way.

They'll thank you when it's time to take the SAT.
 

Back-to-School Reading Quizzes

These reading quizzes provide a fun challenge for students heading back to school, grownups bent on self-improvement, and anyone looking for a socially redeemable way to waste time on the computer. (e.g., if it's not Facebook or online gambling, it must be OK.)  Put on your thinking caps; good luck.


This one's hard!
http://www.cityu.edu.hk/elc/quiz/reading1.htm

Fun reading comprehension practice
http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us/sites/elementary/samoset/mathlabplanets.htm

Lots here, including vocabulary quizzes, for K-8th graders.
http://www.quiz-tree.com/English_smain.html

Back to Scary School

Scary School has given me a lot of food for thought. As a reading mom, I was reminded once again that I'm not very good at judging how my kids will respond to some titles. My eight-year-old absolutely loved Scary School, even though I'd have given it a lukewarm review. After we finished reading it together, he gave it that great compliment: "Can we read it again?" Well, I said no. (I'll never win mother of the year!) So... he read it himself. But first, he insisted on taking the online quiz to access the hidden chapter. You're getting the idea, right? Scary School is not only capable of captivating kids with a story perhaps best described as slapstick comedy a la Scooby-Doo and the Vampires meets The Munsters, it also spurs them to read independently, above grade level. I should mention that the book's packed with characters, too - keeping track of all of them helps improve memory skills. (Did I mention I'm not up for mother of the year? Look, I wanted to read something else, ok?!)

As a writer and reviewer, I learned something about book marketing and took in one more lesson about perseverance. Read the guest blog entry from author Derek Kent - aka Derek the Ghost - to find out what it took to bring Scary School to life.

The bottom line: I highly recommend Scary School, particularly for boys. Got a middle grade reluctant reader? This would probably make an excellent choice for him - or her. 

The Beaded Moccasins: Thought-provoking, YA or not

Lynda Durrant's The Beaded Moccasins: The Story of Mary Campbell, classified YA (young adult) historical fiction, certainly makes a dandy diversion for young female readers - say, 10 and up - and a lovely choice for parents (ok, Moms) to read aloud to their daughters. But if you like US Colonial history, or wish to think deeply about what family is and what that means, don't look for a preteen excuse to read this book. March right up to the library shelf and grab it.


The story in a nutshell
Taken captive on her 12th birthday, the book follows Mary as she walks from Eastern Pennsylvania to the banks of the Cuyahoga River with the Delaware tribe who planned to make her one of their own. Along the way - for more than a year - Mary struggles with what family is, and what it means to be who she is. The author carefully tells a tale of assimilation and growing up, brilliantly blended into the historical backdrop of colonial expansion. The story is gripping and well-told; the author's excellent research provides an accurate setting and many exquisite details.


Field Trip with the Author!
Lynda Durrant will be on hand to chat with hikers, historians, writers, and just plain ol' fans at Mary Campbell Cave, in Gorge Metropark on Saturday, October 22. We'll meet at 11am at the marker to the cave, and once we're all talked out, I plan to hike the park's namesake trail - it's a beauty. Won't you come, too?  Don't miss your chance to get even more insight into Mary Campbell's experience, a fascinating era in US history, and a little exercise on one of NE Ohio's prettiest trails.

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Attention book clubs: I've always thought this title would be the perfect selection for mothers and daughters to read together; it's certainly ideal for moms, in general, and it offers a great historical perspective on parenting.