I’ve been reading all the posts about The Book Whisperer with great interest. I read this book last summer and LOVED it! Independent reading was already an extremely important part of my language program, and I found this book so confirming. I am an avid reader – always have been. I was another one of those “flashlights under the covers”, or “book hidden under the lip of the desk during lessons” kind of reader. I want my students to experience this passion - well, maybe not the “book under the lip of the desk during MY lessons”, but you get what I mean. After reading the book this summer, I implemented a 30 book challenge in my grade 6/7 classroom. (I didn’t lower my expectations – most of my students read such lengthy books, I thought I’d be overjoyed if they read 30 books). At the end of the year, I was a little disappointed that only 5 students had met the challenge, but my disappointment changed after we reflected on the challenge. Although only 5 had met the challenge, ALL students read more this year than they had in any other year. ALL students tried new genres they had never read before. And ALL students had fallen in love with a new favourite book.
Which brings me to my linky party idea. I’m enjoying all the linky party posts out there – I love finding new blogs and fabulous new ideas, and I feel these linky parties build such a great feeling of community. So I thought I’d combine the two ideas. I’m having a “My Favourite Books Linky Party”. The books can be childhood favourites, classroom favourites, professional reading favourites, or guilty pleasure favourites. Anything goes.
I love throwing a party! I pride myself in being a good hostess. And although there won’t be fancy decorations, or a colour-coordinated sweets table, I do have a fantastic loot bag for you. I will send each person that links up a copy of my 30 Book Challenge package (also includes a set of genre posters) that I give to students during the first days of school – right after our “book frenzy”. What’s more … I have a door prize! I will randomly choose one of the links and that person will receive a copy of my Reading Comprehension Strategy Resource! And … if through some miracle I can get up to 250 followers during this linky party, I will choose another winner to receive 5 products of their choice from my TpT store!!! Who wouldn’t want to come to this party!?! ;)So … here it is …
My Favourite Books
Childhood Favourites – So hard to pick one … I had so many. I think I’d have to say my absolute favourites were anything written by Judy Blume, and the Little House on the Prairie series. My mother is certain I became a teacher because I wanted to be Laura Ingalls. (I still have this series from my childhood, and although the pages are starting to falling out, I read them all to my oldest daughter last year. Even my husband enjoyed them!)
Classroom Favourites – When I have a grade 5/6 class, my favourite read aloud for students is Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. It makes me cry every single time! When I have a 6/7 class, my favourite read aloud is Among the Hidden, by Margaret Peterson Haddix. The Hunger Games trilogy is one of my new classroom library favourites – I’ve had them in my classroom library for one year, and they’re already so worn loved, that I think I’ll be buying a second set.
Reading to my Own Children Favourites – Anything Dr. Seuss or Robert Munsch. I think I loved the Paper Bag Princess so much I named my first born Elizabeth.
Professional Favourites – Again, so many of these. I’m addicted to buying professional resources. In fact, I had to buy a new (very large) bookshelf for my classroom this year to fit them all in. Reading Power by Adrienne Gear is one of my favourites – and I was super excited to hear she has a Writing Power book coming out in October.
Guilty-Pleasure Favourites – I love cookbooks of all kinds – currently cupcake decorating books are my new obsession. And I love Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. I just bought Smokin’ Seventeen to read as a reward when I finish my current professional reading, The Write Genre, which I’m quite enjoying, too!
I hope you link up – summer parties can be so much fun!
