It's Monday! What are You Reading?

It has been over a month since I took part in these memes. I have been reading, although not as much as I'd like. But it is report card time and spending more time on marking and working on reports.
My list of books to read keeps growing though!

We got a small bookshelf at a yard sale a couple of weeks ago and finally set it up Saturday. I knew there were few places it could go - but my husband's suggestion worked so well! It now sits atop a desk in my soon to be functional art room (at least by the time school ends!)

In the past few weeks,  I read:

"The Island" by Elin Hilderbrand  - really enjoyed it

"Bite of the Mango Tree" by Mariatu Kamara with Susan McClelland. I finally finished this autobiography of Mariatu - from her  horrific loss of arms in Sierra Leone to life here in Canada.

as well as these YA and picture books:

"Bifocal" by Deborah Ellis and Eric Walters (It was excellent and really looked at two different ways of life and viewpoints

"Dancing Through the Snow"  by Jean Little. very enjoyable

"Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White this was a reread - as I  read it as our class read aloud. I still love it, as did the children.

"Charlotte" by Janet Lunn an excellent look at the United Empire Loyalists and how the revolution tore family's apart.

"Little Burnt Face" by Kath Lock   great for comparison to Cinderella

Right now I am reading:

"Alice I Have Been" by Melanie Benjamin  (historical fiction about Alice of "Alice in Wonderland"

"Stolen Child" by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch (A Brantford resident and a writer of historical fiction for young adults. I'm enjoying this one)


Be sure to check out some great book choices here and here.

What are You Reading?

The past couple of weeks I have read mostly YA and picture books.

I finished "Wonder" by R. J. Palacio. It was amazing and totally lived up to the reviews I read. It really renewed my faith in goodness in people and the necessity of being kind.
THIS IS A MUST READ!

I also finished "How I  Came to be a Writer" by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor". As I come across books by authors about their writing life, I read them and look at their road to being an author (one I am trying to navigate).

In class, I finished "Stone Fox" by John Reynolds Gardiner, as our novel read aloud. This is the fourth time I have read this book to a class and each time I still get effected by the ending. I have the children write me a letter after most of the read alouds - it was interesting to read their thoughts and feelings about this book. For the first time, I actually had a student say they found it boring! I wrote back to her that it is important she have her own opinions, as long as she backs them up.

Today, I read "Maple Moon" by Connie Brummel Crook. I love this story and had read it numerous times. Connie actually came to a class in Bowmanville about 10 years ago and read her book. What an experience that was.

I finally got to see the movie "The Hunger Games". I loved the series and I actually love the movie. The differences with the book did not detract from enjoying this movie.
I also saw the movie "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close". The young actor who plays Oskar was incredible. Strange movie, strange book - but worth seeing.I did prefer the movie this time,


Right now I am working on a number of books:

I am still reading: "Stolen Child" by Marsha F. Skrypuch

                             "Life is a Verb" by Patti Digh

I have just started: " Desire to Inspire"  by Christine Mason Miller

and plan to start this week: "Three Day Road" by Joseph Boyden (for our May pick for our social justice book club)